Why most organizations fail at phase one: Despite the clarity of this progression, many organizations struggle to begin. One of the most common reasons is poor platform selection. Either no tool is made available, or the wrong class of tool is introduced. Sometimes what is offered is too narrow, designed for one function or team. Sometimes it is too technical, requiring configuration or training that most users aren’t prepared for. In other cases, the tool is so heavily restricted that users cannot complete meaningful work. Any of these mistakes can derail adoption. A tool that is not trusted or useful will not be used. And without usage, there is no feedback, value, or justification for scale.The best entry point is a general-purpose AI assistant designed for enterprise use. It must be simple to access, require no setup, and provide immediate value across a range of roles. It must also meet enterprise requirements for data security, identity management, policy enforcement, and model transparency. This is not a niche solution. It is a foundation layer. It should allow employees to experiment, complete tasks, and build fluency in a way that is observable, governable, and safe.Several platforms meet these needs. ChatGPT Enterprise provides a secure, hosted version of GPT-5 with zero data retention, administrative oversight, and SSO integration. It is simple to deploy and easy to use. Microsoft Copilot is embedded in Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. It is particularly effective in organizations already standardized on the Microsoft stack. Google Workspace Duet AI offers similar benefits across Gmail, Docs, and Sheets. Claude from Anthropic provides a high-quality alternative with strong summarization and long-context capabilities.Each platform has strengths and tradeoffs. What matters is not finding the perfect solution, but selecting one that users will adopt immediately and that the organization can govern responsibly. The platform must be extensible. It must allow the enterprise to move beyond Phase 1 without needing to rip and replace. But most of all, it must be usable on day one. If the tool is not helpful, if it is not trusted, or if it cannot be accessed without friction, adoption will stall before it starts.Phase 1 is not about pilots or proof-of-concept exercises. It is about enabling the entire workforce to gain exposure to AI in a structured, monitored way. It is about helping users discover value in their own work and allowing the organization to observe where adoption is strongest. Everything that follows depends on this foundation. Productivity gains, workflow redesign, process optimization, none of it matters until employees are using AI tools to complete real work. The faster that happens, the faster the enterprise begins to understand where to invest and how to scale.Adoption does not begin with a roadmap. It begins with access. When users have tools that are simple, safe, and useful, they will adopt them. When adoption is visible and measurable, the organization can plan for what comes next. This is not innovation theater. This is operational readiness. Enterprises that wait will fall behind, not because they lacked vision, but because they failed to enable action.More from Tyler Farrar:
The CISO code of conduct: Ditch the ego, lead for realThird-party risk management is broken, but not beyond repairThe cybersecurity product sales process is broken, but it doesn’t have to beCybersecurity hiring is deeply flawed, demoralizing, and needs to be fixed
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