Five Things That Stop Companies Implementing AI

I’ve seen a lot of companies stall on getting to AI implementation. Here are five of the most common things that get in the way:

1. Perception of Risk

Especially in Europe, the words GDPR and EU AI Act stop people before they start.
We’ve all heard the headlines about hallucination or bias, but no one applies the same standard to a human employee.
Most companies already have approved systems and governance that meet these requirements. The gap isn’t legal, it’s knowledge.
Get clear on what’s already possible inside your existing frameworks before you rule AI out.

2. No Exposure in the Senior Team

If senior leadership hasn’t used AI, they can’t picture its potential.
Get them hands-on with tools like ChatGPT. Show how it can help interrogate long documents, summarise proposals, speed up research, or automate admin.
Once they see what’s possible, they stop treating AI as theory and start treating it as capability.

3. It’s Tech-Led, Not Business-Led

Apologies to my fellow technologists, but when AI sits inside the CTO’s remit, it can drift toward what’s interesting or what fits internal agendas rather than what’s valuable to the business.
AI should be led by the business across all teams, with ROI as the guiding measure. Start with where AI can deliver measurable return, not just where it’s easiest or most exciting to deploy.

4. Not Looking Around You

Every industry is being reshaped by AI, some quietly and some dramatically.
If you’re not watching what others are doing, you’re missing the context for your own decisions.
Look at how competitors are using AI to cut costs, increase capacity, or change customer experience. That context helps you decide where you need to act in the short, medium, and long term.

5. Unclear Direction from the Top

If leadership isn’t openly supportive, the message gets muddled.
People don’t know if AI is encouraged or risky to explore.
You don’t need a manifesto, just a clear statement:
“We’re open to AI as a way to improve how we work, how efficient we are, and how competitive we can be.”
That clarity gives permission, and permission creates progress.

Most AI projects don’t fail because of technology, it’s perception, leadership, and project goals.  Fix those and adoption follows naturally.

To help cut through that, Conor Heffernan, our AI Strategy Expert at Leading Edge Group, is opening up free 15-minute Office Hours for business leaders who want practical answers.

No sales pitch. No jargon. Just clarity.