Change Management in the Age of AI
This two-day training covers organizational change management driven by AI adoption — applying the ADKAR and Kotter 8-Step models to real resistance toward automation, communicating with teams worried about losing their roles, and planning upskilling in organizations rolling out AI.
AI adoption is outpacing human readiness
Organizations are rolling out AI tools faster than teams can adapt to them. The result isn’t just low productivity from new tools, but genuine resistance — sometimes quiet, sometimes open — rooted in concern about the future of one’s role, not merely reluctance to learn. Classic change management training rarely addresses this specificity directly, treating AI adoption like any other IT tool rollout.
ADKAR and Kotter applied to a specific situation
This training doesn’t teach change management models from scratch as theory — it assumes participants already know (or will quickly learn) the ADKAR structure and Kotter’s 8 steps, and moves straight to applying them in an AI context: how to build awareness without triggering panic, how to address team motivation directly instead of avoiding hard questions, and how to anchor change when the pace of rollout is faster than a typical organizational transformation.
A concrete plan, not general theory
The two days end with a workshop where participants build the outline of a change plan for a real AI rollout in their own organization — with a communication timeline, an upskilling plan, and identification of the stakeholders most affected by the change in job scope.
Benefits
- Apply the ADKAR model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) to a specific AI rollout
- Lead a change process using Kotter's 8-step model, adapted to the pace and uncertainty typical of AI adoption
- Recognize and address real resistance to automation — not dismiss it as merely a 'communication problem'
- Plan a team upskilling program that reduces uncertainty instead of deepening it
Who is this training for?
Prerequisites
- Experience leading a team or participating in an organizational change project
- No technical AI knowledge required — this training focuses on managing people, not technology
Training program
Why AI-driven change differs from other transformations
- The specific nature of resistance to AI — fear of role loss versus typical resistance to a new IT tool
- AI adoption pace versus human adaptation pace — a gap that generates organizational tension
- The role of narrative: 'AI will replace' versus 'AI will change the role's scope' — how communication shapes acceptance
- Stakeholder mapping for AI rollout — who genuinely loses tasks, who gains new ones
The ADKAR model applied to AI rollout
- Awareness — building awareness of the reason for change, not just announcing a decision
- Desire — working with team motivation, addressing concerns directly rather than skipping them
- Knowledge and Ability — designing a skills acquisition path, not a one-off training session
- Reinforcement — sustaining change after rollout, preventing a relapse into old practices
Kotter's 8-step model in the context of AI
- Building a sense of urgency without triggering job-loss panic
- The guiding coalition — why IT leaders alone are not enough
- Communicating the change vision — concrete examples of good and bad AI narratives inside organizations
- Anchoring change in organizational culture — when change becomes 'how we work here'
Upskilling and change communication plan
- Diagnosing the team's skill gaps against new AI tools
- Designing an upskilling program — from basic AI literacy to specialized competencies
- Change communication: announcement timeline, channels, the role of frontline leaders
- Workshop: participants build the outline of a change plan for a real AI rollout in their organization
Delivery Methods
Online
- Convenience of participating from anywhere
- Interactive live sessions with trainer
- Materials available for 30 days
- No travel costs
On-site
- Direct contact with trainer and group
- Intensive hands-on workshops
- Networking with other participants
- Full focus on learning
Frequently asked questions
How does this training differ from classic change management?
The fundamentals (ADKAR, Kotter's model) are the same as in classic change management, but the application differs. AI adoption generates a specific kind of resistance — fear of losing one's role or sense of purpose, not just reluctance to learn a new tool. The training addresses this difference directly: how to communicate change when employees hear in the media about AI 'replacing' jobs, and how to distinguish real risk from panic.
Does the training teach how to implement specific AI tools?
No — this is not a technical training. We focus exclusively on managing the human side of the rollout: communication, resistance, upskilling, and sustaining change. If your organization also needs technical knowledge about specific tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Prompt Engineering), EITT offers separate trainings that can be combined with this program.
How do I address employees who openly fear losing their jobs to AI?
The ADKAR model requires directly addressing the Desire phase — motivation for change — rather than dismissing concerns as 'unfounded.' The training covers concrete techniques for talking with your team, including how to be honest about real changes to role scope instead of making empty promises that later undermine trust in the leader.
Isn't Kotter's 8-step model too slow for the pace of AI change?
This is a common question and a key topic in module 3. Kotter's model assumes a sequence of steps, but it doesn't dictate long timelines — we discuss how to shorten and parallelize individual steps while preserving their logic when the pace of AI adoption in your organization is faster than a typical IT transformation. The key is not to skip the coalition-building step, even under time pressure.
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Development Services Database
Up to 80% funding for SMEs from EU funds
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Up to 100% funding for employers
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