Michelle Hamilton: Human-First Leadership in AI Adoption (Building Influence and Impact) - 038

Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya sits down with Michelle Hamilton, an AI adoption strategist and the new head of AI adoption and change management at AnswerRocket.Michelle discusses the critical gap between corporate AI investments and actual workforce adoption, advocating for a "human-first" approach. She shares practical tips for overcoming AI intimidation, such as naming your AI and using voice mode for conversational brainstorming. Drawing a fascinating parallel between her background as a glass sculptor and her work in AI strategy, Michelle explains how both require a clear vision, an understanding of technical constraints, and an iterative process. The episode empowers women to lean into their strengths as communicators and leaders in the AI space.Key Moments & Timestamps00:23 — Intro: Adaeze introduces the Launch It Leaders podcast and guest Michelle Hamilton.03:40 — The AI Adoption Gap: Why the biggest risk in AI is the gap between investment and workforce adoption.06:35 — Human-First AI: Moving away from IT-heavy rollouts to meeting employees where they are.08:12 — The Evolution of AI: "Today is the worst AI is ever going to be, and tomorrow it's going to be just a little bit better."20:49 — Practical AI Use: How Michelle uses AI voice mode while driving to brainstorm and research.23:01 — Homework #1: Why you should name your AI (meet "George") to make interactions more conversational.25:18 — The Glassblowing Metaphor: How the physics and vision of glass sculpting parallel AI strategy and implementation.43:32 — Overcoming AI Intimidation: Start by using AI for fun personal tasks (like pantry recipes) before applying it to business.47:48 — The Future of Leadership: Encouraging women to be the architects of their careers and lead the AI revolution.FAQsQ: What is the biggest challenge companies face with AI?A: The biggest challenge isn't the technology itself; it's the gap between the financial investment in AI tools and the actual adoption by the workforce, often caused by fear and poor change management.Q: How can I start using AI if I feel intimidated?A: Start with fun, personal tasks. Take a picture of your pantry and ask for recipes, or use it to plan a trip. Once you're comfortable, apply that same iterative process to your business tasks.Action StepsName Your AI: Go into your AI tool's settings (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) and give it a name to personalize your interactions.Try Voice Mode: Use the conversational voice feature on your AI app to brainstorm or debrief after meetings while you're on the go.Start Small and Fun: Practice using AI for a low-stakes personal task, like generating a recipe from a photo of your fridge.Apply to Business: Take the skills you learned from personal AI use and apply them to a work task, such as drafting emails or analyzing a project photo.Guest Links:LinkedIn: Michelle HamiltonInstagram: @sparkaistrategyFacebook: Spark AI Strategy