If AI adoption is the goal at your organization, then the manager role cannot be ignored. Organizations have begun chasing the benefits of AI with a dream and an optimistic outlook to keep them geared for change, however, many have found themselves struggling with the actual process of integration. The future of an AI-empowered workforce remains set in stone, but the right path towards it remains submerged in mystery. Many businesses that have rushed headlong into AI implementation have conducted layoffs in support of this goal, but they have then found themselves having to reverse their decision and rehire for those roles within months.
This disconnect between goal and application has left organizations struggling to keep up with the technology. To fill this gap, it is time to empower managers to facilitate AI adoption, allowing management to lead the way for workers with greater ease.
It’s time to leverage the role of a manager while creating a strategy for AI adoption in the workplace. (Image: Pexels)
Addressing the Manager Role in the Workforce’s Adoption of AI: Leveraging Leadership During Times of Change
The future of an AI-empowered workforce might lie in the hands of your manager, but giving your managers the tools they need to learn and lead is imperative. A July 2025 survey from Gartner found that 46% of managers are actively experimenting with AI to improve their performance on the job. In comparison, only 26% of employees admitted to doing so. Additionally, another Gartner survey also found that only 14% of managers do not face any challenges in driving effective AI usage across their teams. This number is alarmingly low considering the degree of investments being made into AI.
Previous surveys from platforms like Gallup found that daily AI usage in the workplace is on the rise, but the numbers still trend on the lower side. Despite this, employees are eager to navigate their way around the technology rather than give up their position to the technology or its users. To make the most of this enthusiasm, empower managers to spur AI adoption.
To that end, Gartner offers three different areas for managerial development: equipping managers with the tools they need to embrace AI in their roles, setting clear expectations for the use of AI, and planning ahead to ensure that managers can help employees redeploy the time they save by using AI tools.
AI Workforce Adoption Trends Depend on How Prepared Managers Are
Managers using AI in the workplace are currently doing so of their own accord. Sure, employers might provide them with access to certain tools that facilitate the use and exploration of the technology, but for the most part, a business’ AI implementation potential on the ground level depends on individuals. There is also the process of change management to consider. The introduction of AI has workers feeling anxious, restless, and uncertain about their next step, making it much harder for them to adopt the technology.
With these considerations in mind, an AI adoption strategy has to start with training and preparing managers to introduce change to the rest of the organization. Once managers have the knowledge and familiarity they need, it becomes much easier for them to guide and reassure the rest of the workforce. The more effectively managers can communicate the value of AI, the easier it is for them to instill that same sense of confidence in their workers.
In this process of developing the manager role for facilitating AI adoption, it is also essential to devise a game plan and predict the roadblocks that lie ahead. The more that managers understand the organizational goals and strategies, the easier it becomes for them to navigate the organization as a unified force. As previous studies have shown, workers look to their leaders for insight on how to navigate change, and the introduction of artificial intelligence into the workplace is perhaps one of the biggest examples of change we’ve seen in recent years.
Do you agree that managers have an important role to play in AI adoption across the workforce, or are there other, more important factors to consider first? Share your thoughts in the comments with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.
