One of the biggest barriers to AI transformation? According to our latest survey, it's people problems.
In our latest AI Pulse survey, we polled 78 professionals and they indicated the human side of AI adoption is proving just as challenging as the technical side.
A clear majority report that internal resistance is hindering their organization’s progress, while an even larger share worry that AI may outpace society’s ability to adapt.
The People Problem Is Real
When asked to what extent “people problems” such as fear, resistance to change, and lack of buy-in are hindering their organization’s AI adoption, respondents were clear: this is not a minor issue for most.
A full 65.4% of respondents describe people problems as either their single biggest barrier or a major challenge. This breaks down into:
- 43.6% who say it is a “major challenge, alongside technical issues.”
- 21.8% who call it their “single biggest barrier.”
Meanwhile, 23.1% view people problems as a minor issue, and just 11.5% say it is not an issue because their team is fully onboard.
In other words, for nearly two-thirds of this audience, the human element remains a significant hurdle in AI transformation efforts.
Widespread Concern About AI’s Pace
The survey also asked respondents how concerned they are about a “fast takeoff," a scenario in which AI begins to significantly impact jobs before society and the economy have time to adapt. The results suggest this is a near-universal concern.
A striking 91.1% of respondents express at least some concern. This breaks down into:
- 46.2% who are “somewhat” concerned.
- 44.9% who are “extremely” concerned.
Only 9% say they are “not at all” concerned about AI’s rapid pace.
This data suggests that even among professionals actively engaged with AI, there is deep apprehension about whether institutions, labor markets, and individuals can adapt quickly enough.
AI Leadership Remains Uneven
The survey also explored whether organizations have dedicated leadership for AI strategy and transformation. Here, the picture is mixed.
Two-thirds of respondents (66.7%) report having some form of dedicated AI leadership:
- 38.5% have a cross-functional AI task force.
- 28.2% have a Chief AI Officer or equivalent.
However, one-third of organizations still lack clear AI ownership:
- 19.2% say ownership is decentralized or undefined.
- 14.1% say AI is managed by IT or another department without dedicated focus.
The data suggests that while many organizations are formalizing AI leadership, a significant minority have yet to establish clear accountability for their AI transformation efforts.
Methodology and Audience Description
In our ongoing AI Pulse surveys, we gather insights from listeners of our podcast to get a sense of how our audience feels about various topics in artificial intelligence. Each survey is conducted over a one-week period, coinciding with the first seven days after an episode is released. During that time, our episodes typically receive around 11,000 downloads.
Our survey results reflect a self-selected sample of listeners who choose to participate, and typically we receive a few hundred responses. While this is not a formal or randomized survey, it offers a meaningful snapshot of how our engaged audience perceives AI-related issues.
In summary, when you see percentages in our headlines, they represent the views of those listeners who chose to share their opinions with us. This approach helps us understand the pulse of our community, even if it doesn’t represent a statistically randomized sample of the broader population.