We’re Still in the AOL Days of AI
AOL launched in 1983, Amazon didn’t show up until a decade later, and Google nearly two decades. That’s the kind of timeline we’re on with AI, not just early, but early enough that we still haven’t figured out how to use it at work.
According to a new AP poll, 60% of U.S. adults have used AI to search for information, but only 37% have used it at work. The gap isn’t about capability, it’s about confusion. Companies are rolling out vague governance policies that say, “don’t use ChatGPT with company data,” but then fail to offer secure, internal tools connected to their systems. The result? No context, no value, and no adoption.
When my team at PerryLabs talks with companies, we see it again and again: well-meaning governance that blocks data access, without a real plan to replace it. That creates hallucinations, frustration, and a quiet surge in shadow IT as employees turn to whatever tools they can find. It’s like choosing not to give your team a performance boost, and acting surprised when you fall behind.
