Happy Thursday to both the AI curious and AI resistant (you’re equally welcome here!),

Today we’re diving into the wild world of using AI at work. And to be honest, it’s a topic I’ve been nervous to touch, given I’m very much NOT an expert in this area.

But that’s kind of the thing, yeah? So few of us feel we’ve gotten our heads around AI and yet workplaces changes are happening - and FAST.

So how do we lead organizations in navigating this change while simultaneously getting comfortable with the idea of incorporating AI into our own individual workflows?

That’s where Ashley Bredemus comes in!

I met Ashley at the coworking space I office out of (shoutout to the INCREDIBLE Coven Northeast) and we connected instantly. With a background in military intelligence, Ashley brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the AI conversation but makes it SO approachable.

She’s been an remarkable resource as I’ve thought about my own AI usage and carefully considered my ethical line. She has laser-focused, tangible guidance for organizations trying to wrap their minds (and policies) around this topic.

Read on for a step-by-step process for bridging the gap between AI fanatics and change-resistant employees. Plus, a conversation you need to have tomorrow at work.

Yours in navigating uncharted territory,

Jill

P.S. Who is driving the AI conversation at your organization? HR? IT? Ops? The C-Suite? Hit reply and let me know! If I get enough responses, we’ll publish a little follow-up with this breakdown in the next issue.

Navigating the “Wild West” of AI for People Ops Leaders With Ashley Bredemus.

Welcome to the Wild West of Workplace AI

We're living in uncharted times, the organizational equivalent of the AI Wild West. No federal regulation. Minimal state or industry standards. Companies are either banning AI outright or investing in internal systems that are slower and buggier than their open-market cousins.

Meanwhile, Salesforce just cut 4,000 jobs because AI agents now handle half their customer interactions, with CEO Marc Benioff saying he "needs less heads" (because “less heads” is how we talk about people now?? So much for people first!).

This is the reality the majority of leaders are navigating: uncharted territory with real consequences.

A typical office right now has a few commonalities I am seeing.

On one side of the suite, you have the enthusiasts using AI tools for their everyday work (maybe even going rogue with ChatGPT, Claude, or tools leadership doesn’t know are being used).

At best, they're faster, more efficient, and hopefully getting more done. At worst, they are ignoring policy, not sharing what they are doing with their managers and possibly sharing the most sensitive data with zero regard to liability, security and proprietary data breaches.

On the other side, you have the skeptics. These employees are scared of job displacement or have environmental concerns about AI's energy usage. Some are genuinely worried about data security or simply overwhelmed by the pace of change. They could also just be plain resistant to change of any nature.

And in the middle? We have the leaders trying to figure out how to bring both sides back to the table.

The Leadership Divide Nobody's Talking About

Here's what I see in organization after organization: Regardless of if leaders love or hate AI, there is a major pause on how to lead in this new era of AI in the workplace. This is HR's biggest challenge and opportunity, because like it or not, AI isn’t going away.

Leadership sees efficiency gains, cost savings, and competitive advantage. They're reading about companies like Salesforce and thinking, "We need to get on board." But employees are seeing those same headlines and thinking, "Am I next?"

The disconnect is creating workplace tension that goes way beyond technology adoption. It's about trust, transparency, and whether your people believe you're investing in their growth or planning their exit.

The Safety Concerns Are Real (and So Are the Opportunities)

Let's be honest about what we're dealing with. Proprietary data protection isn't optional, it's critical. I've seen companies where employees are unknowingly feeding sensitive client information into public AI tools because nobody provided clear guidance.

But here's what's also real: Companies that don't adapt become irrelevant. We've already seen the back-and-forth of layoffs followed by rehiring when organizations realize they moved too fast without thinking strategically. The lesson isn't that AI doesn't work, actually it's that implementation without human-centered change management fails 100x over.

AI is changing every aspect of business and really the world. To not get on board, learn how to use it, share knowledge, and teach about it is a guaranteed path to obsolescence.

Beyond Copilot: The Tools Your Team Already Knows About

Most companies are focused on the obvious tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google's AI features, but there's so much more happening. Your team members are probably already using tools for writing, research, design, data analysis, and project management that you've never heard of.

The question isn't whether they're using AI. The question is whether they're using it safely, strategically, and in alignment with your company values.

The Conversation You Need to Have Tomorrow

Stop waiting for perfect policies or federal regulations. They will not move quickly enough to justify holding out. Instead, here's how to start leading through this uncertainty and see the Wild West as an opportunity:

Start at the top. Do a listening tour and ask your leadership team for their current opinions and guidance around AI priorities, concerns, and boundaries. If leadership doesn't have clarity, that's where you begin.

I’ll share some insights later on how to get leadership aligned on this topic, but I simply cannot stress enough how important this step is. You can't align your team around a vision that doesn't exist.

Then, once leadership is clear on the direction for AI usage in the company, gather feedback on how employees are using (or not using) AI. Some questions I’d recommend asking in an anonymous survey are:

• Are you currently using AI tools at work? If so which ones and why?

• Where do you want to use AI but feel uncertain?

• What are your biggest concerns about workplace AI?

• What would help you feel more confident?

The answers will surprise you. Some people are further ahead than you think. Others have concerns you haven't considered.

Invest in education before implementation. This isn't a one-time workshop. This is ongoing learning about capabilities, limitations, and ethical use. Your people need to understand not just what AI can do, but equally important…what it shouldn't do.

Create safe spaces for experimentation. Instead of blanket policies, create controlled environments where people can test tools and share what they learn. Small wins build confidence and reveal practical applications.

The Neuroscience of Getting Both Sides on Board

Here's what neuroscience tells us about change: The brain sees the unknown as a threat. Your AI-hesitant employees aren't being difficult — their brains are literally wired to resist what feels dangerous.

But small, safe experiments release dopamine and create positive associations. Instead of announcing "We're transforming our workflows with AI," start with "Let's explore one tool that might help with that repetitive task that drains your energy."

For your AI-forward employees, the challenge is different. They need boundaries and ethical frameworks, not restrictions. Give them guardrails, not roadblocks.

What This Looks Like in Practice

I recently partnered with a 15-person law office navigating the messy middle of AI adoption. Some employees were secretly experimenting, others were firmly against it, and leadership’s first instinct was an outright ban (an overreaction).

Through my AI Confidence Immersion™ program, we began with anonymous surveys to uncover the truth:

• 30% were already quietly using AI tools

• 60% wanted to try but felt unsure

• 10% worried it would threaten their jobs

Rather than a blanket rule, we built three clear pathways:

• Pilot programs for the curious

• Workshops for the hesitant

• One-on-one conversations for the concerned

Within 30 days, the management team itself was using AI-assisted reporting tools, reclaiming 6 hours per week per person. And the real breakthrough? That extra time wasn’t just saved—it was redirected into higher-value client conversations, which boosted satisfaction scores.

But here’s the part most companies miss: in highly regulated industries like law, AI adoption isn’t a “set it and forget it” moment. Standards, regulations, and tools are changing rapidly. What’s compliant today might not be tomorrow. That means the smartest firms aren’t racing ahead recklessly or banning AI outright—they’re building systems that are proactive, cautious, and adaptable.

By keeping industry standards front and center and treating AI as an ongoing change, not a one-time rollout, this law firm found its balance. Employees reported a 90% increase in confidence about when, where, and how to use AI responsibly in their work. That confidence created trust—trust that their company wasn’t falling behind, and trust that they could openly raise questions with managers about the ever-shifting AI landscape.

The resisters saw their colleagues energized, not replaced. The cautious saw their concerns taken seriously. And the leaders finally saw that “modernizing with AI” didn’t mean abandoning professional standards—it meant evolving with them.

Key takeaway: Even in a heavily regulated field, becoming a modern company with AI isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about building confidence, safeguards, and dialogue so people feel ready to move forward together.

Avoiding the Fly-by-Night Trap

Not every AI solution is worth your time, money, or trust. There are legitimate security concerns and plenty of companies trying to capitalize on the hype without delivering real value.

Be smart about vendor evaluation:

• Prioritize established companies with clear data protection policies (and have someone in charge of if they change)!

• Start with pilots/trials, not enterprise-wide implementations

• Focus on solving real problems, not adopting cool technology

• Invest in education so your team can evaluate tools intelligently, including how to vet for safety, equity, biases, and ethics.

Your Weekly AI Practice

You can take charge of your own AI understanding by making AI learning a regular practice, not a special project. As a team you can try this too.

This can be as simple as:

• 5 minutes daily: One person tries to improve one process with AI

• 15 minutes weekly: Team check-ins on what's working and what isn't

• 30 minutes bi-weekly: Explore new developments and share discoveries

The goal isn't to become AI experts overnight (or even in the next year)! It's to build comfort, competence, collaboration and safety around these tools.

The Choice That Defines Your Leadership

Your people are looking to you for direction on AI. Not perfect answers…just honest and thoughtful leadership. They need to know you're taking their concerns seriously while also preparing them for a future where AI literacy isn't optional.

The companies that will thrive aren't waiting for regulatory clarity or perfect internal systems. They're creating learning cultures where both the AI-curious and AI-cautious can find their path forward.

What path are you going to create for your team?

Things We’re Loving Right Now

Future Tools Newsletter - Matt Wolfe's weekly roundup of the latest AI tools that actually matter for business applications. Subscribe to stay ahead of the curve.

AI For Everyone | Coursera (Free) - Andrew Ng's accessible course that demystifies AI without the technical overwhelm. Perfect for leaders who need to understand the landscape.

AI and the Future of Work Podcast - Essential listening for HR leaders navigating workplace AI transformation, covering ethics, implementation, and real-world case studies.

Scary Smart by Mo Gawdat - A must-read that balances AI optimism with realistic preparation for the changes ahead. Gawdat's insights will reshape how you think about AI's role in society.

Tools to start with: Use Jasper for copywriting tasks and Zapier for workflow automation - both offer AI-powered features that deliver immediate value.