AI Conversations

Why AI Adoption Fails When Leaders Lack Systems Literacy

Dr. Marilyn Season 3 Episode 3

In this episode of AI Conversations, we explore one of the most overlooked reasons AI initiatives fail: not technology, not talent, but leadership’s lack of systems literacy.


Many organizations rush to adopt AI tools and training programs without first understanding how their systems actually work. When decision rights are unclear, workflows are fragmented, and incentives are misaligned, AI doesn’t fix the problem—it accelerates it.


This episode reframes AI adoption as a leadership responsibility rather than an IT project. We examine how AI amplifies existing organizational conditions, why training alone cannot resolve structural misalignment, and what leaders must understand about decision flow, judgment, and accountability before deploying intelligent systems.


AI doesn’t fail because it’s too advanced.

It fails because the system it’s placed into isn’t ready to think.


This conversation is for executives, educators, and policymakers who want AI to deliver real impact—not performative progress.

#Artificial Intelligence

#Technology Integration

#AIinEducation

#AIforProductivity

#Digital Transformation

#Workforce Development

#Future of Work