Lenny RachitskyHost of Lenny's Podcast | Author of Lenny's Newsletter

The AI adoption problem no one talks about

6 Dec 2025 · 1 min

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Lenny Rachitsky explains that simply building AI tools (agents) is insufficient for adoption — companies must invest in change management: incentive programs, motivation, examples, and cultural work. He notes a small ~5% of employees are early adopters but the majority require deliberate programs and social proof to adopt new tools.

Chapters

Change management here is going to be a critical part. I see a lot of companies roll out their agents, and just expecting companies to adopt doesn't work this way. I've had this phrase I say with the team, if we build all those tools, will they use it? The answer is no. It's not enough to give them the tools you have to build the incentives programs, the motivation, the examples to how you do it. They need to see other people being successful as well. Some will adapt. That tends to be your cutting edge 5% of talent that just wants new tools, and they have a bias for change. But. But the vast majority needs to work for change management in how they do it. And that requires being a lot more thoughtful about the cultural aspect of it, which is by far for me, the biggest and most important thing to do.