Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Organizations implementing artificial intelligence technologies face unprecedented challenges in supporting employee adaptation during technological transformation. While existing research emphasizes technical implementation, limited attention addresses how structured dialogue can facilitate collective sensemaking and build organizational readiness for AI integration. This study examines how facilitated team conversations about AI influence employee understanding and well-being during technological change. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, this research investigated structured AI discussions among 20 employees across three teams in a global organization expanding its AI investments. Teams participated in facilitated conversations using a standardized framework, with well-being measured through validated surveys before and after intervention. Conversation transcripts were analyzed using thematic coding and Epistemic Network Analysis to identify discourse patterns and conceptual connections. Results revealed that while employee well-being scores remained stable, conversations generated sophisticated collective sensemaking encompassing AI opportunities, challenges, skill development needs, and ethical considerations. Network analysis demonstrated strong connections between agreement, curiosity, and future outlook, indicating that structured dialogue facilitated shared understanding of AI's organizational implications.MAD statementLeaders are operating in an era of rapid, AI-driven change, where teams need fast, human-centered ways to make sense of what’s coming and move together with confidence. This article offers a simple, five-part structured dialogue, run in about 45–60 min, that managers can replicate to build change readiness while keeping an eye on day-to-day well-being. The format orients the purpose, primes with a short reading, captures takeaways, invites brief individual reflection, and guides a team discussion to surface AI opportunities, challenges, skills, and ethics. A light pre/post check shows near-term well-being stayed stable, while the conversations produced shared understanding rather than polarization, giving leaders a repeatable way to gain clarity and align next steps.
Haille Trimboli (Wed,) studied this question.