Stop Waiting—Start Leading AI in Your Organization
Many people I meet in my training sessions tell me they're waiting for leadership to kick off an AI initiative at their company. My response? Why wait when you can lead?
AI isn’t just for IT or executives. It’s for everyone.
Yet, in too many companies, people are waiting—waiting for leadership to introduce AI initiatives, waiting for an official AI strategy, waiting for permission. But what if you stepped up? What if you became the AI champion in your department?
No matter your role, you can start leading AI initiatives today. Here’s how:
Get Curious and Start Learning
Start with:
Hands-on experimentation: Try tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or industry-specific AI solutions.
Continuous learning: Follow AI news, take online courses, or attend webinars. Here are a few of my favorites: https://kendratech.substack.com/p/our-favorite-ai-resources.
Reading and research: Keep up with AI’s impact on your field. How are competitors using it? What’s happening in your industry?
Identify Small, Practical Use Cases
You don’t need a company-wide AI strategy to start. Look for low-risk ways to introduce AI into daily work.
Marketing? Explore content ideas, ideal customer profile and persona building, A/B testing, and customer personalization.
HR? Use AI for job descriptions, onboarding plans, employee engagement, or internal communication.
Operations? Improve reporting, forecasting, or process improvement with AI tools.
Look at your department to identify areas in which you can apply AI to improve your workflows.
Write a 30-Day AI Exploration Plan
Make sure to share with your leadership team the ideas of what AI could look like in your organization.
Outline why you want to explore AI and its potential benefits.
List what you plan to test—such as brainstorming, workflow, content generation, or decision support.
Emphasize that you’ll be mindful of AI risks, including data security, bias, and accuracy.
Reassure leadership that you won’t input confidential or strategic information into AI tools.
Set clear goals for the end of 30 days—such as efficiency gains, process improvements, or ideas for broader AI adoption.
Share What You Learn
Become the go-to AI resource in your department by sharing knowledge.
Post AI tips and findings in your team’s Slack or email updates.
Host short "lunch and learn" sessions.
Show colleagues simple ways AI can help with their work.
Experiment and Show Results
People trust AI when they see it working. Run small tests and track improvements in time saved, efficiency, or creativity. Even small wins will spark bigger conversations.
Build a Network of AI Champions
AI adoption doesn’t happen in isolation. Find others interested in AI and create an informal AI task force. You don’t need a title—just momentum.
Advocate for Responsible AI Use
AI is powerful, but it comes with risks.
Avoid sharing sensitive company data.
Fact-check AI-generated outputs.
Focus on AI as an assistant, not a replacement for human skills.
Make It About Business Impact, Not Just AI Hype
Leadership cares about results, not just technology trends. When discussing AI, tie it to key business priorities:
How can AI help reduce costs?
Can it improve customer experience?
Will it save employees time and prevent burnout?
How does it give your company a competitive advantage?
The future of work isn’t waiting for a formal AI rollout—it’s being shaped by people bold enough to start now. No matter what department you are in or your age, AI leadership starts with action.
So instead of waiting for someone else to take the lead—why not you?
Not to mention it is a great career progression for you as well.
Let me know what steps you are taking to get the ball rolling.
Leaders, your AI champions are already in your organization you just need to find them. Somewhere in your team, there's someone exploring AI on their own, testing tools, and thinking about how it could improve their work but they might be hesitant to raise their hand.
Throw out a challenge with encouragement: Ask your team, "Who has experimented with AI recently?" or "Who has found a way to use AI to make their work easier?" You might be surprised at who steps forward.
Seek these people out, encourage them, and give them the opportunity to share their insights. Empowering these early adopters won’t just accelerate AI adoption—it will help build a culture of innovation from within.
2025 AI Events
New events are added weekly. Since our community spans over 31 states, we’re making it easier than ever for you to join the conversation from anywhere. These new virtual sessions are designed to be interactive and packed with real-world insights you can apply immediately.
Dates for you https://kendraramirez.com/cincinnati-ai-events-2025/
February
Feb 27 9:30-4:30 EST. ATC Tech Summit. Fantastic tech summit for leaders. I went last year. It was first class. https://events.ringcentral.com/events/atc-tech-summit-2025/registration message for me a discount code if interested. Must be in a leadership role for peer to peer conversations. Tickets are almost gone.
March
March 4 CincyAI 3-5 EST at UC Digital Futures building. Free event. These do sell out every month. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cincyai-for-humans-tickets-1096747935599?aff=oddtdtcreator
NEW March 5 from 12-1 EST: Stephanie Polen and I are leading a virtual session for Approachable AI for Women in honor of International Women’s Day. Allies are also welcome. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/approachable-ai-for-women-your-daily-digital-edge-tickets-1222855927999
March 20 9-12 EST. AI for Nonprofits (Cincinnati Chamber- Jorge Perez YMCA, Jeremy Brown Talbert House and I will be moderating this session. https://portal.cincinnatichamber.com/s/community-event?id=a1mJx000005IAdxIAG
NEW March 21 Introduction to AI from 9-12 EST in partnership with Max Technical Training. This is a virtual live class led by Kendra Ramirez. This class is eligible for Tech Cred which is reimbursed by the State of Ohio. https://maxtrain.com/artificial-intelligence/general-artificial-intelligence-and-business-applications/introduction-to-ai/
April
April 1 CincyAI 3-5 EST at UC Digital Futures building. Free event. These do sell out every month.
NEW April 9 AI in Action: Transforming the Workplace for Growth and Innovation 10-12 EST Hosted by Ellequate https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-in-action-transforming-the-workplace-for-growth-and-innovation-tickets-1242305532289?aff=oddtdtcreator
April 16 11:30-12:30 EST. AI Simplified for Business Success webinar for the SOCA community. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-simplified-for-business-success-tickets-1248471454729
April 17 9-12 EST. AI for Enterprise- AI leaders from TQL, 84.51 and TCS. You won’t want to miss them. The event is being held at the TQL Stadium. https://portal.cincinnatichamber.com/s/community-event?id=a1mJx000005IAfZIAW
NEW April 18 9-12 EST. Introduction to AI in partnership with Max Technical Training. This is a virtual live class led by Kendra Ramirez. This class is eligible for Tech Cred which is reimbursed by the State of Ohio. https://maxtrain.com/artificial-intelligence/general-artificial-intelligence-and-business-applications/introduction-to-ai/
I love answering your AI questions. Feel free to message me.
Where AI and inspiration collide!
Kendra Ramirez
KendraRamirez.com
We provide AI Speaking and Training, AI Readiness Assessments, AI Strategy, AI roadmap and implementation, and AI Coaching for small to mid-size businesses and nonprofits.
**For those new to my work, I have been in tech my whole career. Over 15 years of running my digital agency (website, social media, and lead generation) and 7 years of helping businesses navigate AI. Over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of leading over 100 training and speaking sessions, empowering businesses to embrace the transformative potential of AI. My passion lies in simplifying complex technologies to help organizations grow, innovate, and thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
I am so excited that you are on this journey with me! Thank you! 🤗