In this CIONET Trailblazer article with Michael Verveckken, Managing Director Benelux at Fujitsu, we dive deep into the often-overlooked "human side" of AI adoption. The core challenge, according to Michael, is not technology, but culture and leadership. The conversation explores the crucial need to bridge the communication gap between executives, technologists, and the wider workforce to build an 'AI-first culture, where competitive advantage is secured through a shared mindset, not just code.
Fujitsu’s AI support is built on specialised generative AI designed to be accurate and trustworthy by suppressing hallucinations and using proprietary knowledge graph technology, combined with advanced AI capabilities such as human sensing and causal discovery that are powered by its world-leading supercomputing and quantum computing technologies.
This strong technological foundation is reinforced by a proven track record, with more than 7,000 AI use cases already delivered across industries, spanning applications from sales optimisation and greenhouse gas reduction to predictive analysis, AI security, and materials discovery.
The Human Side of AI: Why 70% of failures are about culture, not code.
Across industries, we see AI investment rising, yet progress remains uneven. From your vantage point, what is really holding organisations back?
The issue is probably not technology; it's most likely leadership. In many organisations, the use of AI mainly originates at the grassroots level, within the IT department. This is logical and positive, as that is where the knowledge and experience are available. But at the same time, it shows that AI is still often missing from the leadership’s strategic agenda.
When you look at companies that manage to expand AI effectively, what distinguishes their internal environment from those that don’t?
In many companies, the AI transformation is stalling because three critical groups are speaking different languages: Executives focusing on strategic vision, technologists battling implementation realities, and a workforce feeling paralysed by fear and confusion. Leaders who successfully bridge these three perspectives are achieving remarkable outcomes.
In many companies, training programs exist, but adoption still lags. What, in your experience, is missing in the way organisations prepare their people for AI?
Many training programs focus on the technical mechanics of AI, but they often miss incorporating essential aspects that foster large-scale adoption. We need to go beyond the technical "how" to address the "why" and "what" in a broader context.
Leadership endorsement must be matched by deliberate skills development. Training cannot stop at the mechanics of how models work; it must focus on judgment, responsible use, and application to real business problems. Organisations that embed AI literacy into career development pathways and certification frameworks convert learning into capability at scale.
Culture change requires capability building. Employees will not adopt AI at scale if they lack confidence in its use. Training must extend beyond technical mechanics to focus on practical applications, guardrails, and judgment.
AI brings both opportunity and risk. How do you strike a balance between empowering employees and maintaining the necessary safeguards?
In every transformation, leaders set the tone. An AI-first culture begins when executives visibly integrate AI into their own work, asking for AI-generated insights in meetings, tying productivity goals to AI adoption, and demonstrating confidence in the technology. This sets the norm; employees understand that experimenting with AI is not just allowed but expected.
Meanwhile, 56% of employees worry about job security working alongside AI agents, and 48.8% admit to hiding their AI use at work to avoid judgment. To counter this, a comprehensive, transparent communication plan that keeps everyone informed and engaged is essential.
Align with stakeholder priorities. Sales wants to know how AI helps close deals; customer service wants to understand how it reduces frustration; operations wants efficiency metrics. Craft core messages that highlight strategic reasons and tangible benefits, while avoiding jargon. Culture change requires capability building. Employees will not adopt AI at scale if they lack confidence in its use.
Governance structures can easily slow transformation. How do you design an approach that protects the organisation without paralysing innovation?
Governance is often viewed as a brake on innovation. In AI-first cultures, it is an enabler. Effective governance integrates ethical principles, data protection, and model validation into workflows without slowing them down.
Fujitsu makes governance central to its AI offerings, embedding ethics frameworks and collaborative oversight into services for clients. The lesson is clear: governance should not be a separate process that delays adoption but a built-in capability that enables speed with confidence. By making governance an intrinsic part of AI development and deployment, organisations can innovate securely.
Looking ahead, what signs tell you whether an organisation is truly preparing for an AI-driven future, rather than simply reacting to the moment?
The deepest cultural shift comes from rethinking how work itself is organised. Competitive advantage arises when humans and machines are deliberately integrated into hybrid workflows. AI takes on pattern recognition and routine analysis, freeing people for strategic judgment, creativity, and relationship-building.
Technology alone does not determine winners and losers. The true differentiator is culture: the shared mindset, behaviours, and values that shape how technology is embraced.
An AI-first culture positions organisations to thrive in a future where AI will be as foundational as electricity or the internet. It ensures employees see AI as a partner, customers experience it as trustworthy, and leaders embed it into strategy. Those that succeed will not simply adopt AI; they will embed an AI-first culture into their organisations to gain ongoing competitive advantages. This is an investment in the long term, beyond the hype of the moment, to create true resilience and innovation.
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