Asana CIO Saket Srivastava on building AI strategy: balancing innovation, security and employee engagement in an era of Gen AI and workplace automation.
As AI has emerged as a transformative force across industries, organisations scramble to harness the power of AI and many are grappling with the challenges of implementation and adoption.
The integration of AI into business operations is not merely a technological upgrade; it represents a fundamental shift in how companies operate, innovate and compete.
However, the path to successful AI adoption is fraught with potential pitfalls, from hasty implementations to misalignment between leadership and employees.
To find out more, we asked Saket Srivastava, CIO at Asana, about how best to build a meaningful AI strategy.
The current state of AI adoption
The adoption of AI in the workplace has accelerated at a remarkable pace.
Saket points out the rapid increase in AI usage among knowledge workers:
“Data from our Work Innovation Lab shows that 52% of knowledge workers now use generative AI (GenAI) tools at work at least weekly—an eye-popping increase from 36% just nine months ago.”
This surge in adoption is not without its benefits.
According to Saket: “More than two-thirds (69%) of workers who have used GenAI report experiencing productivity gains as a result of using the technology.”
However, this rapid adoption has also brought challenges.
IT leaders, once seen as back-office service providers, are now thrust into the role of strategic decision-makers.
Saket notes: “90% of IT leaders say investing in AI technology will be critical to navigating future business challenges.”
The pitfalls of hasty AI implementation
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding AI, rushing into implementation without proper planning can lead to regret.
Saket reveals a concerning statistic: “One in four IT leaders say their investment in AI was too quick and are now regretting how fast they moved to adopt it.”
This regret often stems from a lack of proper foundation.
Saket emphasises the importance of getting the basics right: “AI is only as good as the data infrastructure that supports it.
“75% of CIOs don’t feel confident that their data structure is optimised for AI, and without this, even the most basic of AI integrations would be destined to fail.”
To avoid these pitfalls, Saket advises IT leaders to focus on key areas: “IT leaders must focus on ROI, security, cost, and data quality with every AI initiative.”
Bridging the AI enthusiasm gap
One of the significant challenges in AI adoption is the disparity in enthusiasm between leadership and employees.
Saket highlights this disconnect:
“67% of executives are enthusiastic about using AI in the workplace versus 50% of workers, while 69% of executives use GenAI at work at least weekly, compared to only 43% of employees.”
This gap extends to IT teams as well, with leaders showing more enthusiasm for AI investments than individual contributors.
To address this, Saket recommends transparency and inclusivity: “IT leaders must be transparent about AI plans, particularly within their own team.
“Heading up AI strategy is an enormous—and crucial—task, and leaders will need support to implement it effectively. They should source feedback from their team and get buy-in on the AI vision.”
Maximising employee engagement with AI
For AI strategies to succeed, employee engagement is crucial.
Saket emphasises the importance of understanding and addressing employee sentiments: “Employee enthusiasm (or scepticism) can impact AI’s success within an organisation.
“If reservations aren’t addressed, resistance can sweep through the business, and even the most thoughtful AI strategies will fail.”
To maximise engagement, Saket suggests a collaborative approach: “IT leaders should collaborate with other executives to fully understand how employees feel about AI. This can be done via surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one.
“This feedback can help inform the tools to deploy, the training and guidelines to provide, and the AI use cases that employees most need.”
He also stresses the importance of embracing scepticism as part of the process: “If there is scepticism within the organisation, that’s okay.
“It’s human nature to have some resistance to change and questioning AI isn’t anti-progress but, in fact, a necessary part of ensuring thoughtful and ethical implementation.”
By involving all employees in the conversation, including those with reservations, IT leaders can foster a workforce that is adaptable, innovative and ready to lead in an AI-driven world.
From Saket’s insights, it seems building a meaningful AI strategy requires a balanced approach that considers technological capabilities, organisational readiness and employee sentiment.
By focusing on these key areas, IT leaders can guide their organisations towards successful AI adoption, driving innovation and growth in the process.
