/w=1920,quality=90,fit=scale-down)
Are we sending the right signals for AI adoption? And is it creating or mitigating resistance?
Practically BetaWhen the lighthouse is out, the boats won't come.
Artificial Intelligence has incredible potential to be a force for good. But the narrative around it has been so perilously shaped that the signal it's sending feels more like a warning flare than a welcome light. When I opened the news cycle this morning, I saw headlines about AI-driven market bubbles, and variations of:
- Layoffs facilitated by the deployment of AI
- Battles over zoning for data centers in American communities
- Numerous integrations of AI into daily life with no opt-out
- Failed AI adoptions in organizations resulting in negative ROI
There is no universe where the average person would see these headlines and be excited to welcome the age of AI into humanity. And that perspective carries weight—not just in society at large, but in the resistance to AI adoption in the workplace.
But there is another interesting side to this story
OpenAI revealed at DevDay 2025 that ChatGPT has 800M+ weekly users. Considering the global population is around 8.2 billion people, this is equivalent to almost 10% of the world's population using ChatGPT weekly alone. This doesn't include other popular large language models like Claude, Gemini, or AI-enabled tech built into business products like Workday.
People are using AI right now—quietly, cautiously, curiously—just not in the ways businesses anticipated.
The reach of AI is already staggering. Yet so is the resistance.
The duality is an interesting one.
The Problem: The Lighthouse Is Out
Right now, the loudest voices on AI do not represent the lived realities of AI's benefits. At its core, AI is neutral technology. Much like any tool, it is shaped by the hands that wield it. And right now, the shape is messy, a bit scary, and seems to leave people behind completely.
This may not be completely intentional—it might just be the result of the scale and speed at which AI is being integrated into society.
Currently, there is a "move fast and break things" mentality, which is common in innovative industries like tech. But it isn't common to scale this practice with unintended consequences.
When deployment timelines are measured in months instead of years—without a clear, shared vision of where we're heading—the gap between what AI can do and what people trust it to do widens.
And that gap is where resistance takes root.
This is creating dissonance between use cases for AI and what people think AI will be used for. Finding the signal in the noise takes intention, but it is there—and it can be the key to turning the lights back on.
Strengthen the Signal: Turn the Lighthouse On
When the lighthouse is on and the signal is strong, boats and ships are guided safely into harbor.
They don't run into reefs, rocky coastlines, or shoals. They aren't lost in the darkness. They are anchored through powerful lights and sound that provide clear vision and direction until they reach their destination.
This is exactly what is missing in this moment of AI-fueled transformation:
A lighthouse that serves as the beacon for what AI can do and be—for society, for businesses, and for people.
What if the headlines read differently?
AI:
- Transforms education, providing individualized learning experiences for students
- Accelerates the scientific process, allowing scientists to bring rapid discoveries to society
- Models optimal climate change policies that co-exist with global population and economic growth
- Creates wide-scale efficiencies that allow societies to shift to 32-hour work weeks
How would you react? How would the perception around AI change?
My hypothesis? People will not only follow the signal to the lighthouse—they will trust it, believe in the safe harbors it provides, and tell others to follow.
Why? Because it's rarely about the technology itself. It's always about how it's used—and who decides.
Be the Strong Signal in the Lighthouse
I believe AI is here to stay, and I think world leaders, business leaders, and local leaders have the real opportunity to be the strong signal in the lighthouse.
This month, ten philanthropic foundations committed $500 million across the next five years to place human interests at the forefront of AI's rapid integration. This is not just a signal—it's a flare.
If you are sitting in an organization on the precipice of AI transformation, you can signal the possibilities of AI, earn trust, and reduce resistance by:
- Educating on what AI is building
There are already tremendous tangible societal benefits to AI use. Let's hear those stories. Let your staff hear those stories.
- Being transparent on the vision of AI societally
People want to know: What is the goal? How will society look if we keep scaling and deploying AI? What does the future look like? How will this future impact kids? How will it impact my job?
Have those conversations. Unite people around a shared vision.
- Creating ethical governance
Data privacy, environmental considerations, and surveillance are real concerns, in and out of the workplace. Strong governance will be needed to protect the environment, personal data, and guard human rights.
- Not forgetting people
People should always be at the center. People drive society, provide labor to businesses, fuel the economy, and build communities.
The minute the messaging forgets that people are the hub of the world, resistance will continue to grow.
Don't let the boats crash in the darkness
Resistance is inevitable. But resistance at scale can be mitigated with ethical governance, transparent messaging, and a shared vision.
Let's not let an incredible opportunity to progress humanity, science, education, productivity, and quality of life be overshadowed by a broken lighthouse.
Make the signal strong. Make the signal clear.
And the boats will follow to safety.
Practically Beta, by Karida.
Practically Beta | Home