In a recent blog, Jeremiah Owyang makes a powerful case for companies adopting an AI-first mindset, not just new tools, but entirely new cultures

The world’s top AI startups aren’t succeeding because they’re lucky

They’re succeeding because they are hyper-productive, often boasting extraordinary Revenue Per Employee (RPE)

The real question for the rest of us is: how can any business begin to emulate that level of performance?

Most organisations have now given employees access to AI tools, and if you haven’t, you should

 Early adopters will immediately self-serve, explore, and experiment

But the reality, as decades of coaching and training research shows, is that only 20–30% of employees will develop themselves purely through self-direction

That leaves 70–80% who need structured support, encouragement, and confidence-building before AI becomes part of their daily workflow

This is where culture matters

Creating an AI-first organisation means fostering psychological safety, curiosity, and experimentation

People need to feel comfortable trying, failing, iterating, and improving, because that’s exactly how AI tools develop, and it’s exactly how your people will learn to use them effectively

So how do you actually do it?

Jeremiah outlines a simple, powerful three-step method:

  1. If an AI tool already exists for your problem or goal, adopt it

  2. If it doesn’t exist, build it, even if you’re not technical. Modern AI makes “vibe-coding” possible for anyone

  3. Only if that fails should you hire a human to do the task

And then? Repeat. Relentlessly
This is how an organisation becomes lean, focused, and extraordinarily productive

Pair this mindset with continuous monitoring and coaching on AI usage, helping employees understand how effectively they’re using AI and where they can improve and you’ll accelerate your journey from simply having AI to truly being AI-first

Conclusion:
Building an AI-first company isn’t about technology, it’s about behaviour

Give people access, give them safety to experiment, support those who need help, and embed Jeremiah’s three-step method into your operating rhythm

Do this, and you won’t just adopt AI

You’ll transform the way your organisation works