Leading in an AI Age: AI Collaboration

Leading AI collaboration in the workplace

Having AI alone does not create progress. Organizations need leaders who can build trust, encourage experimentation, and connect people so that AI is used responsibly and effectively to create a human-AI advantage.

AI adoption is often discussed as a technology challenge, but our research identified AI collaboration as one of four key capabilities critical to the next generation of successful leaders. If leaders do not remove barriers and help people see AI as a useful partner rather than a threat, even the best AI tools will struggle to deliver value. 

What leaders need to be effective AI collaborators

Our research shows that of the four leadership capabilities, AI collaboration was the one in most need of development for leaders. Organizations cannot assume managers naturally know how to lead in an AI-enabled environment.

To be effective AI collaborators, leaders need support in developing their skills in two important areas: Fostering an AI-ready climate and applying network leadership.

Fosters AI-ready climate

This competency is about creating the conditions in which AI-powered work can thrive. The leader must create a climate that encourages psychological safety, experimentation, continuous learning, and responsible AI use.

A cautious approach can be helpful for managing risk, but it can also slow down progress if leaders do not actively encourage learning and trying new things. Leaders should share how AI can be used responsibly by being transparent and setting clear goals, then building trust and momentum with simple experiments in safe, bounded areas of work.

Applies network leadership

This competency is about facilitating collaboration within and across teams, securing needed resources, and removing barriers to effectiveness. AI adoption is rarely a solo activity. It is highly dependent on collaboration and shared learnings to accelerate progress, avoid repeating mistakes, and foster innovation. This competency was clearly in need of development across the leader population analyzed in our research, with 42% of leaders scoring low and fewer than 20% scoring highly.

To develop this competency, leaders need to create networks across the organization and collaborate more deliberately, reducing silos and making collaboration around AI much easier. That might mean scheduling regular connections outside their immediate team, encouraging teams to ask for help and support, or making clearer resource requests on behalf of the group. The more leaders practice this, the easier it becomes to build trust and cooperation across the organization.

How assessment data can identify which leaders are AI-ready

AI collaboration sits at the intersection of culture, collaboration, and digital confidence. It is not about being the most technical person in the room but about creating the conditions for AI to be used well. Those organizations that have leaders skilled in creating this environment will have a major advantage as AI adoption accelerates.

Assessment data can help organizations understand how ready their leaders are to support AI adoption. Data can show whether someone is naturally cautious or open to experimentation, whether they tend to work independently or build networks, and how comfortable they are creating a climate where others can learn safely.

That kind of insight is useful for both selection and development. It can help identify leaders who are ready to champion AI-enabled change, while also surfacing those who need support in building confidence, collaboration, and broader influence.

Learn more about how you can measure the AI Readiness of your workforce and leaders.

Missed the other blogs in this series? See what our research shows about the other key competencies that are critical to AI-ready leaders: People leadership, Forward thinking, and Decision Making.