Understanding where you stand on the AI adoption curve is the first step toward meaningful progress. This framework presents four distinct user archetypes that describe how individuals and organisations engage with artificial intelligence.
1. Bystanders
Standing at the periphery of the AI revolution, Bystanders have heard about AI and may have experimented with chatbots, but the technology hasn't resonated with their work. They perceive AI as irrelevant, overhyped, or unreliable.
Their emotional state combines curiosity with skepticism and apprehension. What Bystanders require are concrete use cases that demonstrate AI's relevance to their specific challenges.
2. Conversationalists
Conversationalists engage with platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Copilot through interactive dialogue. They utilise these tools as brainstorming partners and research assistants for drafting content and answering questions.
However, this interaction remains confined to chat interfaces and remains disconnected from broader workflows. A critical limitation Conversationalists face is recognising that AI systems can appear confident while providing inaccurate information.
3. Automators
Automators design workflows integrating AI as a procedural component. They employ AI to summarise content, translate material, cleanse datasets, and function as FAQ systems.
Rather than relying solely on chat interfaces, they embed AI within tools like Copilot Studio, Make.com, or Zapier. An example involves triggering ChatGPT through Google Sheets to generate draft invoices in accounting software while sending Slack notifications.
4. Orchestrators
Orchestrators deploy AI agents operating proactively without direct human triggering. These agents monitor environments such as email inboxes and autonomously execute tasks like adding action items to to do lists.
Orchestrators manage multiple agents functioning simultaneously, essentially delegating decision-making and execution while maintaining oversight. This represents the highest maturity level where humans focus on strategic direction rather than task execution.
Key Insights
Progression through these stages requires understanding the behavioural markers indicating advancement. Senior leadership must facilitate team movement from lower to higher archetypes.
It's worth noting that AI excels at execution but struggles with creative ideation and strategic questioning. These are domains where human expertise remains irreplaceable.
