Guest: Glenn Russell (LinkedIn)
Company: Egen
Show Name: An Eye on AI
Topic: AI Infrastructure

Even with the best technology and a solid AI strategy, most companies stumble at one critical point — getting people on board. In this conversation, Glenn Russell, Global AI Practice Lead at Egen, explains why organizational buy-in is the foundation for successful AI adoption. Speaking with TFiR host Swapnil Bhartiya, Russell compares the challenge of introducing AI to the long-familiar struggle of encouraging security tool adoption: both demand trust, education, and internal advocacy.

Russell says that when teams are asked to embrace new tools — whether for cybersecurity or AI — their first instinct is often resistance. They worry about added complexity, job disruption, or unclear value. The solution, he explains, begins with education. Leaders must clearly articulate why the change is happening and how it benefits the business and its people. “In security, we prevent breaches. In AI, we improve accuracy, speed, and outcomes,” he notes. Once the purpose is clear, people start to see AI not as a threat, but as an enabler.

The second pillar of buy-in, according to Russell, is identifying internal champions. These are employees who already understand the benefits of the technology and can act as advocates across teams. “They become the prophets for you,” he says. “The more genuine believers you have, the easier it becomes to scale adoption.” But for champions to exist, leadership must first create an environment of transparency and alignment across levels — from executives down to day-to-day operators.

Russell stresses that education and advocacy alone aren’t enough without a compelling narrative that connects the “why,” “how,” and “what” of AI. Leaders need a coherent story about what the technology is doing, how it supports business outcomes, and why it’s worth investing time and trust in. Without this story, even the most advanced AI pilots can stall in the proof-of-concept phase.

Drawing from Egen’s experience with enterprise clients, Russell highlights how successful organizations approach AI adoption as a cultural change, not just a technical deployment. They start small, align goals with measurable business outcomes, and communicate progress visibly. This approach mirrors Egen’s broader philosophy on digital transformation — that success is driven as much by people and process as by technology.

Russell’s advice reflects a larger shift happening across the enterprise AI landscape. As companies move past experimentation and toward real deployment, the focus is shifting from “what AI can do” to “how people can make AI work.” In that sense, leadership becomes as much about psychology as it is about technology.

For executives looking to accelerate AI adoption in 2026, Russell’s message is clear: invest in your people first. Create understanding, build trust, and empower internal champions. Technology may be the engine, but culture is the fuel that makes transformation move forward.