Why AI Implementations Fail – and How PEOPLE Can Fix It
Barry Eustance, Founder of The Sixsess Consultancy, joins Mark Blackwell, Partner at Arkaro Consulting, to explore why so many AI initiatives fail to deliver on their promise – and what leaders can do differently.
According to research from Gartner, Kotter International, and behavioural scientists, up to 95% of AI implementations fail.
The reason isn’t usually the technology itself – it’s the people.
The Human Side of AI Failure
Mark Blackwell and Barry Eustance agree that success with AI depends on leadership, trust, and alignment.
Organisations often rush into technology adoption driven by hype or competitive fear – what Barry calls “corporate FOMO.”
The result? Poor engagement, limited capability, and resistance to change.
The real challenge lies in addressing human responses to uncertainty and disruption.
That’s where neuroscience and leadership frameworks play a vital role.
The PEOPLE Framework and the Neuroscience of Change
At The Sixsess Consultancy, the PEOPLE Change Management and Leadership Framework connects leadership behaviour, organisational culture, and measurable outcomes.
PEOPLE stands for:
P – People-Centric Leadership
E – Empowerment
O – Optimise
P – Purpose-Driven Vision
L – Learning
E – Embedding Change
Mark connects this with Hilary Scarlett’s S-P-A-C-E-S model, which explains how our brains respond to organisational change through six key needs:
Self-esteem
Purpose,
Autonomy
Certainty
Equity
Social connection.
When leaders meet these needs, teams adapt faster, stay engaged, and deliver sustainable performance.
From Technology to Transformation
AI projects fail when leaders forget that success begins with people.
Technology amplifies human behaviour – it doesn’t replace it.
To succeed, organisations must:
– Build clarity around why AI is being introduced.
– Empower teams to experiment, learn, and adapt.
– Reinforce new habits until they become culture.
The conversation between Barry and Mark highlights a simple truth – AI doesn’t fail; leadership does, when it neglects the human element.
Learn More:
Explore the full frameworks and insights referenced in this discussion:
The Sixsess Consultancy:
https://sixsess.org
PEOPLE Change Management & Leadership Framework Course:
https://sixsess.org/training/people-change-management-leadership-framework-course/
Arkaro Consulting – Why AI Implementations Fail (Neuroscience Perspective):
https://arkaro.com/why-ai-implementations-fail-neuroscience/
Hilary Scarlett’s Neuroscience of Organization Change:
https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/neuroscience-for-organizational-change-9781398621282
Julie Hodges’ People-centric Organizational Change and Managing and Leading People through Organizational Change:
https://www.koganpage.com/authors/julie-hodges
Keywords
AI Implementation Failure, The Sixsess Consultancy, Barry Eustance, Mark Blackwell, Arkaro Consulting, PEOPLE Change Management and Leadership Framework, Hilary Scarlett, S-P-A-C-E-S Framework, Organisational Change, AI Adoption, Change Management, Leadership and AI, Neuroscience of Change, Organisational Culture, Employee Engagement, Purpose-Driven Leadership, People-Centric Change, Technology Strategy, Cultural Transformation, Change Leadership, AI Strategy