70 INTERVIEW The biggest barrier to AI success isn’t the technology Synergy Technical’s Rohana Meade explains why organisations must prioritise people, processes and readiness to maximise AI adoption BY ALICE CHAMBERS Organisations are split between rapidly adopting generative AI and cautiously holding back. “Some organisations are rapidly embracing generative AI and piloting use cases across departments,” says Rohana Meade, president and CEO of Synergy Technical. “Others are still in wait-and-see mode, concerned about data privacy, hallucinations, security and long-term return on investment (ROI).” However, McKinsey & Company’s Superagency in the workplace report suggests workers are more prepared for the introduction of AI than their employers believe, with surveyed personnel being three times more likely to use the technology than their leaders anticipate. The report also reveals that 48 per cent of employees rank training as the most important factor for generative AI adoption, yet nearly half feel they only receive moderate (or less sufficient) support. “Many leaders are excited by AI’s promise of rapid productivity gains, often assuming employees will intuitively use these tools and that ROI will naturally follow,” says Meade. “In reality, employees frequently feel underprepared, confused about how Copilot fits into their daily responsibilities and unsure how to use it effectively. Some may even feel anxious about being replaced or judgement based on AI-driven performance. This disconnect can lead to poor adoption, missed opportunities and frustration on both sides.” To bridge this gap, Synergy Technical aligns leadership vision with employee readiness. “We start with a Microsoft 365 Copilot readiness assessment to ensure the technical environment is secure and well-governed,” says Meade. “From there, we work closely with organisations to identify role-based use cases and deliver tailored, hands-on training that maps AI capabilities directly to specific job functions. Our goal isn’t just deployment – it’s to help teams understand, trust and integrate Copilot into their daily work.” One of the biggest hurdles isn’t the technology itself but ensuring the organisation’s environment is truly ready for AI. “The biggest challenge we see consistently is environmental readiness,” says Meade. “Copilot works by surfacing data from across Microsoft 365 including emails, documents, chats and more. If a company hasn’t properly locked down its data architecture, there’s a real risk that sensitive or confidential information may be exposed to users who shouldn’t access it. At Synergy Technical, we deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot using a holistic, phased approach. Our goal is not just to get the technology “Just because AI – particularly generative AI – is still evolving doesn’t mean it isn’t effective today”
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