At the recent AI in Energy Summit, one message came through loud and clear: artificial intelligence is not a technology problem. It is a people problem. And that is exactly where leadership matters most.
Energy Workforce & Technology Council President Molly Determan moderated the panel titled Building Better Workers: Developing an AI Workforce Strategy, guiding a candid discussion on what it truly takes to prepare organizations for AI adoption.
This was not a conversation about shiny tools. It was about execution, culture, and trust.
AI Adoption Rises or Falls on Trust
Panelists agreed that AI implementation succeeds or fails based on change management. Technology does not create trust. Leadership does.
Molly set the tone early: culture and execution go hand in hand. Transparency reduces fear and builds confidence in change. If employees do not understand why AI is being introduced or how it impacts their work, adoption will stall before it starts.
The discussion centered on several priorities for organizations looking to build an AI-ready workforce:
- Establish Standard Ways of Working with AI
Internal connectivity and collaboration matter. Clear guardrails, defined use cases, and shared expectations remove ambiguity, preventing AI from becoming a free-for-all experiment. Instead, it must align with operational realities faced by our workforce.
- Design Implementation Strategies for a Diverse Workforce
Energy companies operate across field locations, corporate offices, and global teams. One-size-fits-all strategies fail, meaning that implementation practices must account for a variety of skill levels, resources, and real life limitations in the field.
- Create Real Buy-In, Not Forced Compliance
Employees need to see AI as a partner, not a threat. That requires clear communication surrounding daily impact, real-world benefits, and measurable wins. When people understand how AI improves safety, efficiency, or decision-making, resistance drops.
- Invest in Change Management and Training
Go-live is a process, not a date. Shared guardrails, quick wins, and sustained workforce training programs drive real adoption. Upskilling subject matter experts and technologists together ensures that the workers’ expertise remains central to AI deployment.
As one panelist emphasized, AI-ready organizations treat people as partners. Trust in AI starts with trust in data and processes.
The Takeaway
The strongest insight from the session was simple but powerful: thoughtful change management determines whether AI delivers value.
The reality is that technology alone does not transform organizations. Leadership does.
For the energy services sector, where operational precision and workforce expertise are foundational, the opportunity is clear. AI can enhance performance, safety, and productivity, but only if companies build cultures that embrace innovation while respecting the talent that drives the industry forward.
The future workforce will not be replaced by AI. It will be strengthened by it.
