Instead of hiring a 'Chief AI Officer' or an agency, the most successful GTM AI deployments empower existing top performers. Pair your best SDR, marketer, or RevOps person with AI tools, and let them learn and innovate together. This internal expertise is more valuable than any external consultant.

Many employees secretly use AI for huge efficiency gains. To harness this, leaders must create programs that reward sharing these methods, rather than making workers fear punishment or layoffs. This allows innovative, bottom-up AI usage to be scaled across the organization.

An effective AI strategy pairs a central task force for enablement—handling approvals, compliance, and awareness—with empowerment of frontline staff. The best, most elegant applications of AI will be identified by those doing the day-to-day work.

To encourage widespread use of new AI tools, Qualcomm identifies key people to become 'super users'. As these evangelists demonstrate the tool's value and efficiency, they create a Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) effect, generating organic demand and pulling the rest of the organization toward adoption rather than pushing it on them.

To ensure AI adoption is a core competency, formally integrate it into your team's operating system. Webflow is redoing its career ladder to make AI fluency a requirement for advancement, expecting team members not just to use tools but to lead, own, and push the boundaries of AI in their work.

Effective AI integration isn't just a leadership directive or a grassroots movement; it requires both. Leadership must set the vision and signal AI's importance, while the organization must empower natural early adopters to experiment, share learnings, and pave the way for others.

To bridge the AI skills gap where 55% of employees lack proficiency, Dropbox's VP of Engineering suggests a targeted training approach. Instead of generic programs, identify the company's existing high performers, who are likely already using AI effectively, and empower them to train their colleagues.

Leadership often imposes AI automation on processes without understanding the nuances. The employees executing daily tasks are best positioned to identify high-impact opportunities. A bottom-up approach ensures AI solves real problems and delivers meaningful impact, avoiding top-down miscalculations.

To transform a product organization, first provide universal access to AI tools. Second, support teams with training and 'builder days' led by internal champions. Finally, embed AI proficiency into career ladders to create lasting incentives and institutionalize the change.