Winning AI adoption strategies from 4 leading companies

Cameron Adams 

<p>In 2025, executives around the world are grappling with a common question: How do we really make the most of AI?</p><div class="paywall-selector"></div><div class="paywall">



<p>Successfully integrating AI goes far beyond just buying a few software licenses. It requires fostering a culture open to innovation, equipping employees with the skills they need, and ensuring AI actually adds value to teams’ day-to-day workflows. And it&#8217;s obvious that’s where the struggle begins for many organizations:</p>



<p>According to a recent Gallup poll, only <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/652727/strategy-fail-without-culture-supports.aspx#:~:text=Only%2015%25%20of%20U.S.%20employees,Gallup's%202023%20finding%20(17%25).">15% of employees</a> say their organization has communicated a clear plan or strategy for integrating AI into how they get work done.</p>



<p>There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for successfully integrating AI across an organization. However, executives can definitely learn from some companies that have been doing it well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Marriott empowers employees to drive grassroots AI innovation</h2>



<p>This global hospitality brand has <a href="https://www.ciodive.com/news/marriott-international-tech-spend-digital-transformation-plan-ai/715036/">invested $1.2 billion</a> in new technology and is championing employee-led AI innovation. From the bottom up, Marriott is incentivizing the development of AI solutions in an internal AI incubator. <br><br>Focusing on enabling staff to spearhead technological advancements has resulted in more than 150 new ideas. It has increased company-wide curiosity and open-mindedness about AI while ensuring that the solutions are practical and enhance employees’ core job functions. Marriott’s AI explorations center around freeing employees to focus on curating better guest experiences rather than burdening them with unnecessary complexity.</p>



<p>The takeaway from Marriott: foster grassroots innovation by giving employees the right spaces to build and experiment. An AI incubator could ensure that you develop unique AI-powered solutions that are truly relevant to your team’s work and inspire a culture of innovation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PwC combines hands-on AI training with human oversight</h2>



<p><a href="https://fortune.com/company/pricewaterhousecoopers/" target="_blank">PricewaterhouseCoopers</a> is another company at the forefront of AI adoption, backing its commitment with <a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/pwc-us-makes-billion-investment-in-ai-capabilities.html">a $1 billion investment</a> focused on cutting-edge technology, hands-on training, and the critical role of human oversight. A standout initiative is its “prompting parties,” where employees engage in gamified AI learning and ideation. Employees practice AI skills in a fun, supportive environment, honing their ability to work with generative AI tools. PwC has also introduced AI mentors to further employee education in artificial intelligence.</p>



<p>But it&#8217;s not just about what AI can do for people; PwC also acknowledges that AI needs to be used responsibly, so they&#8217;ve set up feedback loops where employees validate AI outputs and ensure they comply with ethical standards. This allows PwC to more confidently adopt AI across various departments—from marketing personalization to content creation—while maintaining control and accountability.</p>



<p>The takeaway from PwC: Effective AI adoption can look like a mix of hands-on training, gamified learning, and human oversight to guide ethical and practical use.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ikea tailors AI training</h2>



<p>The Swedish furniture retailer’s AI journey highlights the importance of tailored, role-specific training. Ikea’s ambitious AI literacy program aims to <a href="https://www.retaildive.com/news/ikea-companywide-ai-literacy-initiative/713863/">train 3,000 employees</a> and 500 company leaders, offering a mix of in-person and virtual learning experiences. From AI basics to more advanced topics like algorithmic ethics, Ikea ensures its workforce can use AI in ways relevant to their roles.</p>



<p>For leadership, initiatives like “AI Exploration Days” provide a strategic framework for integrating AI with business objectives. This comprehensive training approach empowers Ikea’s workforce to employ AI for tasks including idea generation, image creation, and enhancing creativity. According to Canva&#8217;s 2024 Visual Economy Report, which surveyed 3,707 global business leaders, <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ai-accelerating-visual-communication-content-090000356.html">82% of their organizations</a> have added AI-powered tools in the last year to produce visual content. Like PwC, Ikea’s focus on digital ethics ensures its AI adoption remains human-centric and responsible—something all companies need to consider as they scale up.</p>



<p>The takeaway from Ikea: A universal challenge to embracing new technology is the lack of blocked-off time for learning. Structured learning, all the way to the highest level of a company, can ease this.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">S&amp;P Global goes big on AI training and benchmarking </h2>



<p>This analytics and consulting firm is equipping a <a href="https://qz.com/sp-global-accenture-generative-ai-financial-services-1851611961">whopping 35,000 employees</a> with the skills needed to integrate generative AI into their day-to-day work. The comprehensive program—launched in August—builds AI fluency across all levels, from financial analysts to customer service teams, tailoring the learning to business-specific needs.</p>



<p>S&amp;P’s key differentiator is an emphasis on rigorous AI benchmarking and evaluation of AI-generated results. The company ensures compliance with ethical standards and high accuracy by validating AI outputs through standardized metrics. This enables the company to deploy AI confidently across its operations, driving innovation while maintaining accountability.</p>



<p>The takeaway from S&amp;P: Combining specialized benchmarking with robust training and oversight enables companies to leverage AI effectively, especially when operating in highly data-driven fields. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Embedding AI and fulfilling its potential</h2>



<p>Across industries, AI is a game-changer, but the companies seeing the most success are those that take a comprehensive, multifaceted approach. By empowering employees, fostering continuous learning, ensuring ethical oversight, and embedding AI into daily operations, these four major companies offer early case studies for unlocking AI’s full potential.</p>



<p>Companies of all stripes can do the same. Leaders should focus not just on implementing AI but on embedding it into the core of their organizations—ensuring that AI enhances human creativity, boosts productivity, and drives meaningful innovation for years to come.</p>



<p><em>The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of </em>Fortune<em>.</em></p>



<p><strong>Read more:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Rigid work models <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/03/18/ai-disruption-flexible-workforce-talent-skills/?abc123">won’t survive AI</a>. Here’s what will</li>



<li><a href="https://fortune.com/2025/03/31/ai-built-ai-inventors-tech-innovation/?abc123">When AI builds AI</a>: The next great inventors might not be human</li>



<li>The <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/04/04/ai-cost-collapse-tech-startups/?abc123">AI cost collapse is changing what’s possible</a>—with massive implications for tech startups</li>



<li>AI avatars’ lack of authenticity <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/03/24/ai-avatars-clones-influencers-creator-economy/?abc123">won’t stop them from joining the creator economy</a>—and giving humans a run for their money</li>
</ul>



<p><br><br><br></p></div>

Marriott, PwC, Ikea, and S&P Global are driving employee-led digital transformation via AI. Others can follow suit.

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Marriott, PwC, Ikea, and S&P Global are driving employee-led digital transformation via AI—with business lessons for all.

Winning AI adoption strategies from 4 leading companies | Fortune

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