Empowering People to Empower AI — A Human-Centric Guide to GenAI Success
✍️ By Fernando Machuca and ChatGPT (in collaborative g-f Illumination mode)
📘 Type of Knowledge: Strategic Distillation (SD) + Transformation Playbook (TP) + Breaking Knowledge (BK)
📘 Abstract
This genioux Fact post distills the most relevant Golden Knowledge (g-f GK) from the MIT Sloan Management Review article “How to Scale GenAI in the Workplace” (2025), a case study on Novo Nordisk’s enterprise rollout of Microsoft Copilot. The post reveals that success with generative AI is not a function of tool deployment but of human adaptation, trust-building, and strategic enablement. From senior employees emerging as unexpected champions to cultural resistance threatening momentum, Novo Nordisk’s journey provides a blueprint for how organizations must scale people before they can scale GenAI.
🧭 Introduction
The excitement around generative AI has pushed many companies to experiment with tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude. Yet few have succeeded in scaling these tools across the enterprise in a way that creates sustained value. In “How to Scale GenAI in the Workplace,” the authors chronicle Novo Nordisk’s bold rollout of Copilot—from hundreds to over 20,000 users—offering a rare, data-backed look into what actually drives adoption and success.
The central insight? Scaling GenAI is less about algorithms and more about anthropology. It requires rethinking workflows, empowering users, and confronting cultural inertia. Through strategic training, function-specific enablement, and champion networks, Novo Nordisk navigated the messy, human terrain of AI transformation—providing essential lessons for leaders across industries.
🧠 genioux GK Nugget
Scaling GenAI isn’t a tech deployment—it’s a human transformation. The success of generative AI in the workplace hinges not on the tool, but on how people adapt, trust, and collaborate with it.
🪙 genioux Foundational Fact
Novo Nordisk’s enterprise rollout of Microsoft Copilot—growing from a few hundred to 20,000+ users—reveals that GenAI's most profound impact lies in how it redefines work quality, team dynamics, and cultural norms. By investing in human learning, role-specific enablement, and trust-building, they transformed AI from novelty to necessity.
🔟 The 10 Most Relevant genioux Facts
-
The True Value of GenAI Is Quality, Not Efficiency
Time saved mattered less than improved work quality, especially in ideation, summarization, and creation. -
Adoption Follows a Nonlinear Curve
Surge → Midcycle dip → Rebound. Training and support are critical during the dip to prevent abandonment. -
GenAI Integration Is a Human-Centered Marathon
Scaling requires change management, not plug-and-play installations. -
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Copilot's impact varied across departments, highlighting the need for role-specific support and tools. -
Senior Workers Were the Surprise Champions
Older employees with contextual fluency outperformed digital natives and became effective peer mentors. -
Cultural Resistance and AI Shaming Are Real Barriers
Some employees equated AI with unethical behavior or cheating, requiring ethical framing and trust-building. -
Precision vs. Probabilistic Thinking Is a Major Friction Point
STEM employees struggled with AI’s variability; hallucinations undermined trust. -
Champion Networks Drive Sustained Adoption
Novo Nordisk used experienced employees to lead training and share use cases, maintaining momentum. -
Safe Spaces Foster Learning and Confidence
Platforms like Viva Engage enabled peer support, transparency, and cultural acceptance of GenAI. -
The Future of GenAI Belongs to People, Not Code
Sustainable GenAI success is driven by workflow integration, collaboration, and confidence—not technical fluency alone.
[g-f KBP Graphic 2: The 10 Most Relevant genioux Facts]
📌 Conclusion
Novo Nordisk’s GenAI journey underscores a fundamental truth: people are the platform. Tools like Copilot only become transformational when embedded in workflows, championed by experienced peers, and framed as enablers of better, not faster, work. Organizations must prepare for GenAI adoption not with more software licenses—but with empathy, structure, training, and trust.
🔎 REFERENCES
The g-f GK Context for 🌟 g-f(2)3558
Primary Source:
-
Wade, Michael; Trantopoulos, Konstantinos; Navas, Mark; Romare, Anders. “How to Scale GenAI in the Workplace.” MIT Sloan Management Review, July 08, 2025.
👤 Biography of the Authors
Authors: Michael Wade, Konstantinos Trantopoulos, Mark Navas, Anders Romare
🧠 Michael Wade
Role: Professor and Director
Affiliation: Tonomus Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation, International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Switzerland
Michael Wade is a globally recognized expert in digital transformation, AI strategy, and organizational change. As a professor of innovation and strategy at IMD and director of the Tonomus Global Center, Wade has led groundbreaking research on how businesses adapt to digital disruption. He is widely published and frequently advises Fortune 500 firms on aligning AI innovation with enterprise value creation.
🧠 Konstantinos Trantopoulos
Role: Strategy Adviser and Research Fellow
Affiliation: International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
Konstantinos Trantopoulos is a strategy and digital transformation expert focused on how emerging technologies reshape business models and organizations. He has worked closely with global leaders in translating complex technological trends—especially in AI and digital platforms—into actionable business strategies. At IMD, he collaborates with executives and academics to develop applied research in human-centric AI integration.
🧠 Mark Navas
Role: Corporate Vice President of Global IT Operations
Affiliation: Novo Nordisk
Mark Navas is a seasoned IT executive responsible for global technology operations at Novo Nordisk. As the executive in charge of the enterprise rollout of Microsoft Copilot, Navas played a central role in orchestrating one of the world’s largest deployments of generative AI in the workplace. His leadership bridges IT infrastructure, organizational enablement, and human adoption of advanced digital tools.
🧠 Anders Romare
Role: Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO)
Affiliation: Novo Nordisk
Anders Romare is the CDIO of Novo Nordisk, overseeing the company’s global digital transformation efforts. With a strong vision for the future of digital health and AI, Romare has championed the integration of emerging technologies—especially GenAI—across Novo Nordisk’s global operations. His leadership emphasizes ethical innovation, people-first transformation, and sustained AI adoption at scale.
Related Research Cited in the Article:
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Davenport, T.H., & Bean, R. “Five Trends in AI and Data Science for 2025.” MIT SMR (2025)
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Brynjolfsson, E., Li, D., & Raymond, L. “Generative AI at Work.” The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 140(2), 889–942 (2025)
-
Sun, Y. et al. “AI Hallucination.” Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1–14 (2024)
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Raisch, S., & Krakowski, S. “The Automation-Augmentation Paradox.” Academy of Management Review, 46(1), 192–210 (2021)
🌊 The g-f GK Context for 🌟 g-f(2)3558
This genioux Fact post fits within the g-f AI Transformation Stream, focusing on organizational-level integration of AI tools. It complements:
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🌟 g-f(2)3537: "Building an AI Platform for the Future"
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🌟 g-f(2)3536: "AI Examples Shaking Up Business Across Industries"
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🌟 g-f(2)3545: "The g-f AI Dream Team’s Golden Knowledge Revolution"
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🌟 g-f(2)3550: "The Real AI Race Revealed — Strategic Imperatives for U.S. Leadership in a Multifront Contest"
These posts collectively guide leaders through the AI adoption lifecycle, from experimentation and platform scaling to cultural integration and leadership development in the g-f New World.
📝 Classical Summary: “How to Scale GenAI in the Workplace”
Authors: Michael Wade, Konstantinos Trantopoulos, Mark Navas, and Anders Romare
Published by: MIT Sloan Management Review (2025)
This article examines the real-world experience of Novo Nordisk—a global pharmaceutical company—as it scaled Microsoft’s Copilot generative AI tool across its workforce. Moving from early experimentation to widespread enterprise use, Novo Nordisk offers a comprehensive case study on the organizational transformation required to adopt generative AI at scale.
The central thesis is that scaling GenAI is not primarily a technical challenge but a people-centered transformation. The success of such initiatives depends more on how individuals adapt, collaborate, and evolve with the technology than on the AI tools themselves.
Key Insights:
GenAI’s True Value Is Human-Centric, Not Just Efficiency-Based
Although the rollout saved employees an average of 2.17 hours per week, the strongest correlation with user satisfaction came from improved quality of work—especially in content creation, summarization, and ideation.Adoption Is Nonlinear and Requires Active Support
The rollout unfolded in three phases: an early adoption spike, a midcycle dip due to disappointment and confusion, and finally a rebound. Success hinged on targeted training, peer support, and proactive communication.Tailored Enablement by Function Is Essential
Different business units derived varying value from Copilot. Corporate and commercial teams saw significant gains, while STEM-oriented teams—who demand deterministic output—struggled with GenAI's probabilistic nature. Custom training, playbooks, and role-specific tools were critical to success.Older Employees Often Outperform Digital Natives
Contrary to common assumptions, experienced workers drove higher GenAI effectiveness due to their contextual fluency and workflow mastery. Novo Nordisk turned senior employees into GenAI champions, enabling peer-based training and mentorship.Cultural Resistance and 'AI Shaming' Must Be Addressed Head-On
Concerns over ethics, privacy, and perceptions of cheating inhibited adoption. Novo Nordisk responded with transparency campaigns, ethical use guidelines, trust-building communication, and safe social platforms to normalize usage and overcome stigma.People Are the Platform
The most powerful insight is that people, not the technology, are the ultimate driver of success. GenAI adoption depends on leadership, trust, training, and sustained human engagement—underscoring that digital transformation is always human transformation at its core.
Conclusion:
The article makes a compelling case that scaling generative AI requires a strategic, human-centered approach. As Novo Nordisk plans to expand Copilot usage to 37,000 employees, the authors emphasize that success lies in integrating GenAI into real workflows through learning, collaboration, and cultural evolution—not just software deployment.
Executive categorization
Categorization:
- Type: Strategic Distillation (SD), Free Speech
- Category: g-f Lighthouse of the Big Picture of the Digital Age
- The Power Evolution Matrix:
- Foundational pillars: g-f Fishing, The g-f Transformation Game, g-f Responsible Leadership
- Power layers: Strategic Insights, Transformation Mastery, Technology & Innovation
The categorization and citation of the genioux Fact post
Categorization
Type: Strategic Distillation (SD), Free Speech
Additional Context:
g-f Lighthouse Series Connection
- g-f(2)1813, g-f(2)1814: Core navigation principles
The Power Evolution Matrix:
- Foundational pillars: g-f Fishing, The g-f Transformation Game, g-f Responsible Leadership
- Power layers: Strategic Insights, Transformation Mastery, Technology & Innovation
- g-f(2)3129, g-f(2)3142, g-f(2)3143, g-f(2)3144, g-f(2)3145: Core matrix principles
Context and Reference of this genioux Fact Post
genioux GK Nugget of the Day
"genioux facts" presents daily the list of the most recent "genioux Fact posts" for your self-service. You take the blocks of Golden Knowledge (g-f GK) that suit you to build custom blocks that allow you to achieve your greatness. — Fernando Machuca and Bard (Gemini)
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