Nicole Janssen knows a thing or two about navigating fear of artificial intelligence.
As the Co-CEO and Co-Founder of AltaML, she’s spent years working with organizations across industries to implement AI solutions that improve efficiency and safety.
But one of the most significant challenges she sees isn’t technological — it’s human.
“Canadian companies often approach AI as if it’s a one-time, all-in commitment,” Janssen said in an interview with Digital Journal. “There’s a lot of fear and misunderstanding of what it can and can’t do.”
That fear often stems from leadership and trickles down, creating an environment where AI is seen as disruptive rather than enabling.
In Canada, this hesitation is amplified by a cultural reluctance to openly embrace AI.
“Most Canadians, if they find out they’re interacting with AI, they’re happy to go online and just blast the company,” Janssen says. “You never see people say, ‘Wow, I’m super impressed they’ve incorporated AI into this process and made it so much faster for me.’”
In contrast, Janssen notes that in the U.S., companies are often eager to share their AI success stories, even promoting their use of the technology to customers.
“In the U.S., they want us to tell the whole world that they’re doing AI,” she says.
This cultural difference highlights the challenge Canadian businesses face in fostering open discussions about AI adoption, underscoring the need for strong communication strategies.
Why communication is critical
Janssen recalls a project AltaML completed for a large industrial client that used computer vision to improve safety inspections.
Workers were manually checking facilities on routine schedules, but by introducing AI-powered cameras, the system could pinpoint specific panels or areas requiring attention, enabling workers to focus on critical tasks. Beyond improving efficiency, this shift also freed workers from repetitive and physically demanding tasks, allowing them to take on higher-value work while improving overall safety.
“They didn’t lose their jobs — they got safer, more efficient work,” Janssen explained. “That’s a narrative people can get behind.”
A key lesson is also the fact that building these narratives requires proactive communication.
Janssen emphasizes that effectively communicating the purpose and value of AI is essential for addressing fears and misconceptions and for demonstrating how AI can solve tangible business problems.
And given that 74% of companies struggle to achieve and scale value from AI initiatives (with 70% of challenges being related to people and processes), effective communication around AI initiatives will be as critical as the strategy of actually implementing them.
By celebrating small successes (like reduced risks or faster processes), organizations can build trust and shift perceptions of AI from intimidating to empowering. And clear communication can align employees with new workflows and processes in order to ease transitions.
Practical strategies for leaders and communicators
For organizations looking to successfully introduce AI, insights from a 2024 report by the Boston Consulting Group offer practical guidance:
- Start small: Early wins build trust and demonstrate ROI. These small projects act as proof points for future investments.
- Unify leadership messaging: Leadership must be aligned and speak with one voice about AI’s purpose and potential. Janssen stresses the importance of consistent messaging across all levels of leadership, noting, “Every layer of leadership has to sing from the same songbook.” Mixed signals can create confusion and distrust, making alignment critical for successful AI adoption.
- Engage employees early: Involve employees in the process through workshops and open discussions. Transparency ensures they feel part of the journey.
- Frame AI as a tool for augmentation: Position AI as something that enhances human roles, rather than replacing them, to alleviate concerns about job security.
- Celebrate milestones: Highlighting real-world successes, even small ones, can shift the perception of AI from intimidating to empowering.
Janssen suggests that overcoming fear and scepticism requires a drip campaign because habits are more likely to change over time, with repeated support.
“You’re not going to shift people’s mindset of AI overnight,” she says. “It’s really about asking: ‘How do we keep talking about this like it’s not scary, and instead how it can help us win’?”
Building a culture that embraces AI
Janssen says that successful AI adoption is about creating a culture that’s open to change and innovation. Continuous engagement and education are essential throughout the process.
“The more productive we are, the more work there is,” she says. “AI is really going to influence that productivity piece.”
This cultural shift takes time and deliberate effort and organizations that succeed are those that invest in their people as much as their technology, ensuring teams feel equipped and empowered to leverage AI effectively.
“AI adoption isn’t a one-time project,” Janssen says. “It’s a journey. And the way you bring people along on that journey will determine your success.”
Janssen believes that AI will eventually become ubiquitous, likening its integration to electricity.
“There won’t be software in the future that doesn’t have AI in it,” she says. “It will not be called AI software — it will just be called software. AI will just become part of all kinds of processes, and we will be touching it all day long, often without realizing it.”
Janssen’s advice is clear: focus on the people first. Transparent, consistent, and practical messaging can transform fear into trust, and hesitation into action.
This article was created with the assistance of AI. Learn more about our AI ethics policy here.
