Why AI Success Stories, Not AI Mandates, Drive Adoption

AI is becoming a useful tool in the workplace. Yet, many employees are still skeptical of this new technology. For some, it’s because they feel AI is being forced on them since it’s being incorporated into nearly all apps and platforms, often without a way to opt out of it.

While it’s normal to be cautious about new technology, AI can make life easier for employees, giving them more time to focus on other areas of their projects. The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer polled 5,000 people across five countries to study where this distrust in AI is coming from. By examining the results, employees can find the best approaches to help their team members feel confident and optimistic about AI.

AI Mandates Increase Distrust

Of the people surveyed, a majority of respondents in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany expressed distrust in AI. Respondents in Brazil and China were much more trusting of it.

When asked if they felt that AI was being forced upon them, the majority of those that distrust AI agreed with that statement. In the UK, 71% of the people who distrusted AI thought it was forced on them, and 67% of those distrusting it in the U.S. said the same. That means over 2 in 3 distrusters in those countries felt it was forced.

In the U.S., UK, Germany, and Brazil, less than half of those that trust AI thought it was being forced on them. However, in China, 85% of people who trust AI think it’s being forced on them, and there isn’t enough data about those who distrust it. While AI mandates might not affect China’s trust in AI, employees in other countries seem more wary about AI when it feels like they have to use it.

Success Stories Help Employees Become Open to AI

Implementing AI mandates might work for people who already feel confident about AI, but it could further push away those who already distrust it. Rather than simply telling employees to use it, it’s a good idea to actually show them the success when applicable.

According to the survey, people in the U.S., UK, and Germany are unlikely to trust opinions of AI coming from CEOs and government leaders. However, a much higher percentage would trust opinions of AI if they came from a friend, family member, or someone like them. In the U.S., 71% trust friends and family to tell the truth about generative AI, but only 24% trust government leaders. The UK results were very similar.

With that in mind, it doesn’t make sense for people in positions of power to try to gain people’s trust in AI. It’s more effective if employees hear it from someone they can relate to. Encourage employees to talk to each other about the AI success they’ve experienced in the workplace. Even just showing statistics about how AI has positively improved productivity could help. 

Seeing the facts and hearing from trusted individuals is more effective for employees than only hearing their CEO say positive things about AI. Trust needs to be earned, not forced on people, so that applies to introducing AI into the company.

AI Experts Can Help You Find the Best Approach

There are tons of ways that businesses can take advantage of AI, but one of the most important is AI Optimization. Many brands focus only on search engine optimization, but a lot of searches today come from AI responses. By helping your brand rank in both search engines and AI-generated content, you can reach a much wider audience.

Contact Avenue Z today to find out how we can help your business thrive in a world where AI is so crucial.