Hey, marketers in the loop.

It’s been a busy week as we wrap up the year, with no shortage of exciting AI announcements and breakthroughs. 😊

This week, I came across several reports on AI adoption in the enterprise, and one theme stood out: the disconnect between leadership and employees. After reflecting on it, I believe the root cause lies in their differing incentives around AI. Until we find common ground—and that won’t happen overnight—this gap will continue to hinder progress.

I’m calling it the “AI Alignment Gap”, inspired by the "Alignment Problem" concept discussed in Yuval Harari’s new book Nexus.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this important issue. Just hit reply and let me know.

Onward,

In this issue:

• The AI alignment gap between leaders and employees

• OpenAI and Google's latest news

• And much more

Reading time: 10 minutes

MY FAVORITE FINDS THIS WEEK

Industry News

▪️Highlights of day 1-7 from “12 Days of OpenAI”: o1 & ChatGPT Pro (their most powerful model), Sora (AI for video creation), Canvas (productivity feature), ChatGPT in Apple Intelligence, Advanced voice with video & Santa mode and Projects in ChatGPT (new productivity capability). (OpenAI)

▪️Google introduced Gemini 2.0, its new model for “the agentic era” - check the demo videos! (Google)

▪️Google also announced Agentspace to bring AI agents and AI-powered search to enterprises (Google)

▪️Try the new Google's Deep Research to explore complex topics and receive a comprehensive and easy-to-read report - it’s mind blowing, let me know what you think! (Google)

▪️Reddit launched ‘Reddit Answers’ for AI curated summaries (Reddit)

Industry Reports

▪️Marketing executives are setting the pace for AI adoption (AMA/Lightricks)

▪️The Fall 2024 Workforce Index shows executives and employees are investing in AI, but uncertainty is holding back adoption (Slack)

▪️The AI Proficiency Report found that most organizations aren’t ready to deploy AI (Section)

▪️AI in the workplace: answering 3 big questions (Gallup)

▪️Pew Research Center found significant gaps in AI awareness across gender, ethnicity, age, education, and income levels (Pew Research)

Thought Leadership

▪️The secret weapon helping businesses get results from AI: humans (WSJ)

▪️A.I. will transform the global economy — if humans let it (The New York Times)

▪️The present future: AI's impact long before superintelligence (Ethan Mollick)

▪️How to build AI strategies that prioritize people (MarTech)

▪️How can my brand appear in answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and other AI tools? (SparkToro)

DEEP DIVE

The AI Alignment Gap: Why Leaders and Employees Don’t See Eye to Eye

AI adoption is accelerating across industries, but there’s one critical barrier that has nothing to do with the technology itself: the misalignment of incentives between leaders and employees.

This AI Alignment Gap is creating friction that slows innovation, reduces ROI, and fosters a workplace culture of resistance and silence. If you’re a manager, ask yourself: Do your employees feel supported or threatened by your push for AI? If you’re an employee, do you feel empowered or judged for experimenting with AI tools?

The answer may explain why your team isn’t realizing AI’s full potential.

What Is the AI Alignment Gap?

The AI Alignment Gap refers to the divergence in how leaders and employees perceive and engage with AI. At its core, this gap stems from different incentives:

• Leaders prioritize strategic goals like cost reduction, efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage.

• Employees focus on job security, workload, ease of use, and the personal impact of AI on their roles and careers.

This is why leaders are bullish on AI, while some employees are more cautious. The gap isn’t just theoretical—it’s backed by data.

4 Recent Reports That Highlight the AI Alignment Gap

1. AMA (American Marketing Association) and Lightricks Study

The study reveals a significant divide between marketing executives and entry-level staff in how they perceive and adopt AI:

• 48% of marketing executives believe AI is critical to their role, versus 34% of entry-level staff.

• Only 5% of entry-level marketers want AI “in the driver’s seat,” compared to 24% of executives.

• 61% of marketing executives use AI weekly, compared to 42% of entry-level marketers.

• 65% of executives have received formal AI training, while only 34% of early-career marketers have had the same opportunities

Key Insight: Executives are embracing AI, but junior staff lack the trust and confidence to do the same.

2. Section’s The AI Proficiency Report

A survey of 5,000 knowledge workers across the US, UK, and Canada found:

• 12% of senior employees (directors and above) are categorized as AI Experts, compared to just 5% of individual contributors (ICs).

• Individual Contributors are three times more likely to be AI Skeptics than their senior counterparts.

Why it matters: ICs handle repetitive tasks AI could automate, but fear, skepticism and lack of guidance hold companies back. 

3. Slack’s Fall 2024 Workforce Index

Slack reports that 48% of desk workers are uncomfortable admitting AI use to their managers. Reasons include:

1. Fear of being seen as lazy.

2. Fear of being perceived as incompetent.

3. Belief that using AI is "cheating."

There’s a disconnect between leaders’ and employees’ expectations for how AI will reshape work. Leaders envision employees using the time saved by AI for upskilling, innovation, and advancing projects. Employees, however, hope to use that time for administrative tasks, skill-building, and, ideally, non-work activities. When asked how they’d prioritize saved time, many employees placed personal growth and work-life balance above the strategic goals leaders expect.

Takeaway: Employees seek leadership direction and role modeling to avoid uncertainty and fear around AI adoption.

4. Gallup’s AI In The Workplace Findings

Among employees using AI:

• 46% of leaders use AI for data consolidation, compared to 36% of Individual Contributors (ICs).

• There is a similar gap between leaders who automate basic tasks (45%) and individual contributors who do so (36%).

What it means: Leaders use AI to streamline workflows, while ICs struggle to see its relevance beyond generating ideas.

What’s Driving the AI Alignment Gap?

At the heart of the AI Alignment Gap lies a fundamental misalignment of incentives between leaders and employees:

• Leaders often view AI as a tool to increase productivity, reduce costs, or drive strategic innovation. However, this perspective can inadvertently create anxiety among employees, who may fear being asked to "do more with less" or, worse, being replaced by the very technology leaders champion.

• Employees, on the other hand, worry that time saved through AI adoption will simply result in additional work rather than opportunities for growth, learning, or improved work-life balance.

These fears are not unfounded. According to Section, 76% of employees worry that AI could make certain jobs obsolete, while 65% feel anxious about their ability to use AI ethically.

Further complicating matters, 78% of employees say they feel anxious or overwhelmed by AI, while only 23% feel excited. This unease is particularly acute among Skeptics and Novices personas, who often lack the training and guidance needed to adopt AI confidently.

Without a clear vision, consistent guidance, robust training, and ongoing collaboration from leadership, skepticism and resistance thrive. Employees need direction and support to feel empowered in their AI journey—and see value in it.

Managers play a critical role in either bridging or exacerbating this gap. Front-line managers who fail to align their teams with AI goals can unintentionally reinforce doubts and resistance. Conversely, those who provide reassurance and clarity can help employees overcome their concerns and see AI as an opportunity rather than a threat.

How Guidance and Support Enable AI Adoption

Companies need proactive and transparent AI strategies. Data consistently shows that employees are more likely to adopt and excel with AI when they feel supported. For example, at companies where AI use is explicitly approved and encouraged, 63% of employees report proficiency levels ranging from Experimenter to Expert. In contrast, 35% of Skeptics are found in companies that remain silent about AI, creating uncertainty and hesitation among employees.

As employees gain proficiency with AI, their attitudes evolve significantly. Among Experts and Practitioners, 62% report feeling excited about AI, while only 23% report anxiety. In contrast, 63% of Skeptics feel anxious, with just 8% feeling excited about the technology.

Managers play a pivotal role in fostering this shift. Employees with managers who actively encourage AI adoption are twice as likely to reach higher proficiency levels, with 14% becoming Experts or Practitioners compared to only 7% in less supportive environments. This support also empowers employees to explore AI confidently, reducing skepticism and enhancing productivity.

However, when managers discourage AI use—or remain silent—proficiency levels plummet, and anxiety grows. Without clear direction, employees feel overwhelmed and uncertain about how to use AI ethically and effectively.

From "Shadow AI" to Empowered AI Adoption

When employees lack clear guidance, many turn to “Shadow AI”—using AI tools informally and without company awareness. While this hidden experimentation demonstrates curiosity, it also introduces significant challenges:

1. Missed Collaboration Opportunities: Employees working in silos fail to share insights, slowing collective progress.

2. Inefficiencies: Without structured training, employees often struggle to maximize AI’s potential, leading to wasted effort and inconsistent results.

3. Lost Trust: Fear of judgment leads employees to hide their AI usage, undermining open communication and collaboration.

4. Increased Risk: Shadow AI users may rely on free or unsafe tools, limiting customization and potentially compromising sensitive data.

As Slack’s SVP of Research, Christina Janzer, explains:

How to Bridge the AI Alignment Gap: Lessons from Switch

Bridging the AI Alignment Gap requires leaders to view AI adoption not as a simple technological rollout but as a change management effort. Inspired by Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, this approach offers a framework to address misalignment and foster successful AI integration.

Change often falters because it must navigate three competing forces: the Rational Mind (The Rider), the Emotional Mind (The Elephant), and the Environment (The Path). When these forces are misaligned, progress stalls, and the journey to adoption becomes fraught with resistance.

1. Directing the Rider (Rational Mind)

The Rider craves clarity and direction but can be paralyzed by over-analysis. To guide the Rider:

• Define Clear Objectives: Establish specific goals for AI implementation that align with both business strategies and employees’ personal growth. Clearly articulate how AI can support organizational goals like innovation while fostering career advancement.

• Script Critical Moves: Break down AI adoption into actionable steps. Provide employees with detailed roadmaps, from onboarding AI tools to incorporating them into workflows. Clarity eliminates hesitation.

• Leverage Data-Driven Insights: Use AI itself to demonstrate its value for both business impact and employees. Show how AI can optimize marketing campaigns, reduce mundane tasks, and reward creative problem-solving, shifting the focus from speed to quality.

Actionable Tip: Managers should communicate not only the “what” but also the “why” and “how” of AI adoption. Ground the conversation in both the company’s vision and how AI benefits employees personally.

2. Motivating the Elephant (Emotional Mind)

The Elephant represents emotions, instincts, and motivation. Without its buy-in, even the best plans fail. To inspire the Elephant:

• Build a Coalition of Support: Involve employees early, and let AI enthusiasts to co-own the transformation. Create opportunities for employees to provide inputs, feel a sense of ownership, and understand how AI aligns with their career aspirations. This fosters trust and commitment, making AI adoption a shared effort.

• Shrink the Change: Start with manageable projects that deliver quick wins. For example, pilot AI in areas where results are immediate and measurable, like automating repetitive tasks or streamlining administrative work. Success builds confidence and momentum.

• Find the Feeling: Highlight stories that resonate emotionally. Share examples of how AI has reduced stress, fostered creativity, or led to career advancements. Celebrate early adopters as role models, reinforcing how AI supports employee growth and innovation.

Actionable Tip: Frame AI adoption as a way to enhance employees’ work, not replace it. Emphasize how AI can spark creativity and make tasks more meaningful, aligning with their personal and professional goals.

3. Shaping the Path (Environment)

The Path represents the environment and systems that influence behavior. To make AI adoption inevitable, leaders must tweak the Path strategically:

• Tweak the Environment: Adjust workflows and structures to make AI integration seamless. For example, create a community where employees can share success stories, innovative use cases, and best practices, reinforcing a unified vision of AI’s potential.

• Build Habits: Establish ongoing AI training programs and integrate them into employees’ routines. Consistent reinforcement not only normalizes AI use but also demonstrates leadership’s commitment to aligning organizational goals with employee needs.

• Design for Ease: Ensure AI tools are user-friendly, intuitive, and focused on solving real problems. By making tools practical and accessible, employees will naturally adopt them as part of their daily workflows.

Actionable Tip: Redefine productivity by exploring metrics beyond speed and efficiency. Reward employees for innovation, creativity, and quality outcomes that are made possible by AI integration.

Creating a Culture of AI That Benefits All

AI adoption is also about fostering a culture of alignment, trust, and shared purpose between leaders and employees. The true challenge lies in creating an environment where AI isn’t seen as a threat but as a tool for mutual success. And this is what will make employees move from “I have to use AI” to “I want to use AI”. AI is an option now, but it won’t be in the future. And we better get started.

To build this culture, leaders must focus on three key areas:

1. Create a Unified Vision: Leaders should clearly articulate how AI supports both the organization’s goals and employees’ personal growth. A shared vision helps dispel uncertainty and aligns everyone toward the same outcomes.

2. Align Incentives: AI adoption becomes more meaningful when employees see how it improves their work-life balance, sparks creativity, and enhances career prospects. This alignment ensures employees are as motivated by AI’s benefits as their leaders.

3. Redefine Productivity: Expand traditional measures of productivity and incorporate innovation, creativity, and quality outcomes enabled by AI integration. 

When organizations prioritize these cultural shifts, employees feel guided, supported, and empowered. This not only accelerates their progression from AI skeptics to confident practitioners but also ensures that the full potential of AI investments is realized.

PS: This post was inspired by the concept of "Alignment Problem" discussed in Yuval Harari's recent book Nexus (a highly recommended read for those exploring diverse perspectives on AI's impact). The AI alignment problem refers to the challenge of ensuring that AI systems are designed to align with human values and goals. As AI systems grow more complex and powerful, it becomes increasingly difficult to predict their behavior and ensure their outcomes align with human intentions.

ICYMI

▪️AI Agents Will Make Your AI More Useful

▪️How to Choose the Right AI Tool for Your Marketing Needs

▪️Agency (Or Other Partners) Using AI? Here's What You Need to Know

▪️AI And Copyright: A Quick Marketing Guide

▪️How to Minimize AI Hallucinations

▪️Creating an AI Policy That People Will Actually Follow

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