How to spot them
Signature behaviours:
Trendspotter – Always sharing the latest AI tools and insights.
AI Mentor – Actively teaching and encouraging AI use.
Early Adopter – First to test new AI workflows.
Community-Driven – Joins AI events, forums, and hackathons.
What this means for you:
- They’re an asset for early adoption.
- They influence others, positively or negatively.
- They’ll push for change, but without structure, they’ll leave people behind.
The challenges they create
⚠️ Speed vs. Readiness – Their pace can overwhelm slower adopters.
⚠️ Tool Overload – New AI tools every week means chaos, not strategy.
⚠️ Team Resistance – Their excitement can alienate teammates who aren’t confident with AI.
What to do
Channel their energy:
- Make them champions of structured AI adoption, not chaos.
- Give them early access to new AI initiatives.
- Position them as peer educators, not lone explorers.
Align their impact:
- Tie AI use to team goals, not just personal excitement.
- Help them connect AI innovation to business outcomes.
- Give them structured ways to introduce AI tools, not just firehose the team.
Guide their influence:
- Pair them with AI sceptics to balance enthusiasm with caution.
- Equip them with framing skills so they advocate AI without alienation.
- Help them assess readiness before they push new tools.
Success looks like this
✔️ They drive thoughtful AI adoption instead of AI overwhelm.
✔️ They educate and inspire others, without creating pushback.
✔️ They turn AI into a strategic advantage for the whole organisation, not just themselves.
