The Power of Anointing Gen AI Champions
After working with many organizations on their Gen AI adoption journeys, I've discovered something that creates outsized impact: formally anointing people as Gen AI Champions across the organization.
This might seem like a simple act – giving someone a title and a role. But I've seen it transform how organizations adopt Gen AI. When people are officially recognized as Gen AI Champions, they take ownership of driving adoption in a way that creates ripple effects throughout the company.
The Critical Role of Gen AI Champions
Gen AI Champions play a crucial bridging role in your transformation. They aren't just passive supporters – they're active drivers who help their colleagues discover how Gen AI can transform their work. They connect high-level transformation goals with day-to-day implementation.
As you can see in this image, Gen AI Champions fit into a broader coalition. While the Gen AI Sponsor provides executive support and resources, and the Gen AI Lead coordinates across the organization, it's the Gen AI Champions who drive actual team-level adoption. They're the connective tissue between strategy and implementation.
Real-World Success Stories
I've had the privilege of working with several organizations that have built successful Gen AI Champion networks. Three very good examples I've collaborated with closely each developed networks of approximately 20 Champions:
- Susanne Blanke at Husqvarna established a formal Gen AI Champions program with representatives from across the global organization. These Champions participate in regular knowledge-sharing sessions and lead adoption within their respective departments.
- Petter Brandt at Academic Work created what he calls the "AI Vanguard" – a group of Champions who meet regularly to exchange ideas and troubleshoot challenges. What started as a handful of people quickly grew to about 20 representatives from different departments.
- Björn Rydberg at Siemens Energy built a network of Gen AI Champions who serve as both technical implementers and cultural change agents. Each Champion supports teams in their business unit, creating a multiplier effect for Gen AI adoption.
Across these cases, we've worked with these Champions on a combination of training, process re-engineering, and agent implementation. This has allowed the Gen AI Lead to extend their reach and impact far beyond what they could achieve alone.
What Makes an Effective Gen AI Champion?
The best Gen AI Champions I've seen share several key characteristics:
- Natural enthusiasm for Gen AI and its potential
- Influence within their teams or departments
- Willingness to experiment and learn through doing
- Ability to communicate benefits in practical terms
- Patience to help colleagues overcome initial challenges
When looking for Gen AI Champions, don't just focus on technical people. Some of the most effective Champions I've seen come from non-technical backgrounds but have a knack for spotting practical applications.
Building a Connected Gen AI Champions Network
The power of Gen AI Champions multiplies when they're connected as a network. Here's how successful organizations build these networks:
1. Regular Connection Points
Bring your Gen AI Champions together frequently – maybe every two weeks – to share what they're learning and help each other overcome challenges. This creates momentum as Champions see they're part of something bigger.
2. Enable Cross-Pollination
What's really powerful is when Gen AI Champions learn from each other across departmental boundaries. A marketing Champion might discover a prompt technique that helps the finance team improve their reporting. These cross-functional insights accelerate adoption throughout the organization.
3. Ensure Broad Representation
When selecting Gen AI Champions, ensure representation from different parts of your organization – different business units, functions, and locations. This gives you broader reach and brings diverse perspectives to your Champions group.
The Evolution of Gen AI Champions
One of the most interesting patterns I've observed is how the role of Gen AI Champions evolves as organizations mature in their Gen AI journey:
- Starting with prompting expertise: Gen AI Champions first become skilled prompt engineers, helping their colleagues learn the basics of effective AI interaction.
- Leading process transformation: As teams gain confidence, Champions help reimagine workflows with Gen AI, identifying opportunities for process improvement.
- Pioneering agent implementation: The most advanced Champions begin identifying high-value agent opportunities and leading prototyping efforts, often becoming the bridge to Level 3 maturity.
This evolution makes Gen AI Champions incredibly valuable to your transformation. By investing in their development across these capability areas, you create internal experts who can drive adoption at increasingly sophisticated levels.
Supporting Gen AI Champion Success
Your Gen AI Champions need proper support to succeed. Here are the key elements I've seen make a difference:
Recognition and Celebration
When Champions achieve successes, make sure these are recognized and celebrated. Having Champions share their success stories in company-wide forums gives them visibility and recognition for their contributions.
Continuous Learning Opportunities
Champions need to stay ahead of the curve. Provide them with additional training opportunities, including both technical skills and change management techniques.
Time and Resources
Champions need to be able to fulfill this role in conjunction with their ongoing responsibilities. Carving out some hours per week specifically for Gen AI activities sends a clear message that this work is valued and important.
The Multiplier Effect
When you get your Gen AI Champions network right, you create a powerful flywheel effect. Each success story inspires more teams to try Gen AI, leading to more successes, which inspires even more teams. This organic spread of adoption is often more effective than any top-down rollout.
Getting Started
If you're looking to build your own Gen AI Champions network, here are some practical steps to get started:
- Identify natural enthusiasts – Look for people who are already experimenting with Gen AI or showing interest in its potential.
- Formalize the role – Don't underestimate the power of officially designating someone as a Gen AI Champion. This recognition changes how they and others view their responsibilities.
- Connect Champions regularly – Create structured opportunities for Champions to learn from each other and build momentum together.
- Start small but strategic – Begin with just enough Champions to represent key parts of your organization, then grow as you demonstrate success.
The power of a Gen AI Champions network is that it creates a bridge between your formal transformation program and the day-to-day reality of how work gets done. Champions translate big ideas into practical applications that their colleagues can immediately see value in. And that's what ultimately drives successful adoption – when people can see for themselves how Gen AI can make their work better.
This article is based on my experience helping organizations adopt Gen AI and insights from my book "AI Agents - Multiplying Human Potential by Adopting Gen AI." If you want to learn more about building effective Gen AI transformation coalitions, check out the complete book.
