Executive Summary

This article throws light on a leading global animal health company’s innovative Organizational Change Management (OCM) strategy to achieve 100% adoption of Generative AI (Gen AI) by 2025. By establishing a Gen AI Champion Network and engaging C-suite leaders, the company successfully increased adoption from 45% to over 75% during the pilot phase. This approach has not only addressed workforce diversity and varying enthusiasm but also integrated the rollout of a new Gen AI platform, fostering sustainable growth in productivity and innovation.

Background

Generative AI (Gen AI) holds immense promise to boost productivity and innovation in the Life Sciences sector. However, realizing this potential requires more than just deploying tools; it demands a tailored Organizational Change Management (OCM) strategy that aligns with both the unique challenges of Gen AI and the organization’s culture.

The Challenges

A leading global animal health company set an ambitious target — to achieve 100% Gen AI adoption and gain 1 million hours of productivity by the end of 2025. Yet, several hurdles stood in the way:

• A globally distributed workforce of over 12,000 employees.
• Uneven enthusiasm across business units with some being eager and others resistant.
• The need for relevant, role-specific use cases to drive engagement.
• Simultaneous rollout of a new enterprise Gen AI platform, risking confusion and misalignment.

The Approach: A Two-Pronged OCM Strategy

To tackle these challenges, the company implemented a structured OCM plan focused on both bottom-up engagement and top-down sponsorship. It entailed the following:

Gen AI Champion Network

• Created a global peer-led community to train, support, and motivate colleagues.
• Champions collected feedback and highlighted relevant best practices and use cases.

Leadership Engagement

• C-suite executives recorded training videos and participated in town halls.
• Senior leaders helped drive consistent messaging and credibility across regions.

Platform Rollout Integration

• Coordinated Gen AI adoption efforts with the launch of a new enterprise Gen AI tool.
• Turned the excitement around new technology into a cohesive communication and adoption opportunity.

Results So Far

Though still in the pilot phase, the strategy has already yielded significant traction:

• Gen AI adoption rose from 45% to over 75% in early 2025 (measured by weekly usage).
• Positive feedback from both Champions and business units has validated the approach.
• A foundation is now in place to scale adoption sustainably through 2025 and beyond.

Conclusion

Technology sparks change, but it’s people who make it real. The company’s Gen AI Champion-led model is turning into a lasting, scalable movement.