AI success at work depends largely on managers.
According to Charter’s AI Pulse report, released October 21, 2026, 11 of the 14 factors most linked to employees benefiting from AI come down to what their manager does. Yet very few organizations prepare managers for that role. Here’s what the research found, and what I recommend to leadership teams rolling out AI.
Why are managers at the center of AI adoption?
Managers turn organizational decisions into everyday practice. Charter surveyed 5,002 AI users and found that employees get more out of AI when their manager:
gives them time and space to learn;
recognizes people who use AI well;
backs them when they experiment;
uses AI where the team can see it;
gives specific guidance on when and how to use it.
The number 1 factor is in the manager’s hands too: employees feeling involved in how AI fits into their work.
What do employees need from their manager when it comes to AI?
Mostly, answers. The question tends to sound like this: “If AI takes over this part of my job, what happens to my role?”
76% of employees say it’s unclear how their job will change because of AI.
81% of AI users say they have a trusting relationship with their manager.
So that’s who they ask. That trust is an asset, as long as the manager is ready and equipped to have those conversations.
Are managers prepared?
The research leaves room for doubt. Fewer than 40% of AI users have received hands-on training on the tools they use. 1 in 5 has received no support at all.
In interviews, many managers described being stuck between leadership expecting quick gains and a team they want to protect. They’re absorbing pressure from both directions.
There’s also a gap between what managers think they’re doing and what their teams actually see. On every behavior measured, managers rate themselves 23 to 30 points higher than their teams rate them. The researchers call it the demonstration gap.
Guidance is the clearest example.
54% of managers say they clearly explain when and how their team should use AI.
25% of employees remember them doing it.
How can you equip managers to lead AI adoption?
Seeing the gap is the first step. Closing it takes concrete decisions from leadership. Here’s what I recommend.
Put manager development in the budget and on the calendar. AI rollouts tend to be planned around tools and licenses. Managers’ time and training deserve the same spot in the plan.
Invest in hands-on practice. AI users rate hands-on training with their actual tools as twice as useful as policies and guidelines. And a manager who learned by doing will be more comfortable showing their team.
Set regular team check-ins. One manager in the study blocks 2 hours a week with her team of 3 to talk through how each of them uses AI. Check-ins like that spread what’s working, and give people room to bring up what isn’t.
Compare perceptions. The manager rates what they’re doing to support the team with AI, then asks the team what they actually see. Putting the 2 side by side usually shows where to start.
Make AI use visible, starting at the top. When executives talk openly about how they use AI, managers feel freer to do the same. So do their teams.
Frequently asked questions
What role do managers play in AI adoption?
Managers translate organizational decisions into concrete practice. According to the Charter AI Pulse 2026 report, 11 of the 14 factors most linked to employees benefiting from AI come down to managers’ actions.
Why are employees hesitant to adopt AI?
Uncertainty about their future weighs heavily: 76% of employees say it’s unclear how their job will evolve. Many also worry they’ll be seen as less competent if they use AI openly.
How should managers be trained to support their team with AI?
Hands-on training tied to the team’s real work gets the best results. It should also prepare managers for the harder conversations, especially about the future of people’s roles.
What is the demonstration gap?
It’s the difference between what managers say they do to support AI adoption and what their employees actually see. Charter measured a gap of 23 to 30 points on every behavior.
We’re counting on them to make it work. Let’s give them what they need.
My management and leadership program equips managers to guide their teams through change.
Source: Charter AI Pulse, Fall 2026, Charter Works, Inc. Survey of 5,002 AI users in the US (August 2026) and 91 interviews (September 2026).
