ADAPTOVATE launches AI framework to close scale gap

ADAPTOVATE has launched an AI Capability Uplift Framework for enterprises, aimed at helping companies move AI projects from pilot stages into day-to-day operations.

The launch comes as businesses face growing pressure to show returns on AI spending after a surge of experimentation across large organisations. Many companies now struggle less with access to AI tools than with building the workforce skills and operating models needed to use them consistently.

ADAPTOVATE positioned the framework as a response to what it called an "AI Scale Gap" inside enterprises. Companies have invested heavily in generative AI tools, but many have failed to turn that activity into measurable commercial outcomes.

The consultancy cited industry research suggesting that 95 per cent of enterprise AI pilots fail to deliver measurable business value. It also pointed to findings that 66 per cent of organisations have not yet begun scaling AI across their workforce, despite broader investment in the technology.

Focus on people

The framework centres on training and workflow redesign rather than technology deployment alone. It is built around executive sessions for senior leaders, digital microlearning for employees, and workshops that apply lessons to existing business processes.

The structure has three stages. The first covers core AI literacy, safe use and compliance across the workforce. The second focuses on function-specific training tied to tools and use cases. The third establishes an internal AI Centre of Excellence supported by embedded "AI Coaches".

ADAPTOVATE argued that the main barrier to effective AI use is now organisational readiness rather than technical availability. It said most value creation from AI depends on people and processes, with governance and workflow changes becoming more important as boards and finance leaders demand evidence of returns.

Paul McNamara, Chief Executive Officer Australia & New Zealand at ADAPTOVATE, said the market was splitting between companies testing AI and those changing how work is done around it.

"We are seeing a clear divide between organisations that are merely experimenting with AI and those that are fundamentally transforming how they work. For those in the transformation category, it is a distinct competitive edge," McNamara said.

Case study

To illustrate the model, ADAPTOVATE pointed to a programme it developed for a global IT provider after a private equity acquisition. The assignment involved a two-week design sprint to create a capability pilot from scratch, resulting in the launch of an internal "AI Academy".

According to the consultancy, the academy was designed around the client's own tools, workflows and internal language rather than off-the-shelf corporate learning content. It also included AI avatars of internal leaders as part of the curriculum.

More than 1,200 staff enrolled in the pilot before it expanded to 5,000 employees, ADAPTOVATE said. It reported that 96 per cent completed the full curriculum and 99 per cent scored 80 per cent or higher in the final assessment.

The programme also prompted staff to create their own peer-to-peer tutorial videos on using AI for code reviews. ADAPTOVATE said that response showed uptake depended on embedding learning in real work rather than separating training from day-to-day tasks.

McNamara said generic education programmes were not enough for organisations trying to use AI at scale.

"To close the AI Scale Gap, businesses need a structured approach to upskilling their people and redesigning their workflows. Generic training does not work. Our framework is built to accelerate the transition from theory to execution safely and effectively," he said.

Accountability rises

The launch reflects a broader shift in the enterprise market as scrutiny of AI investment intensifies. Boards and Chief Financial Officers are increasingly asking whether pilot activity is producing measurable returns, especially as software, cloud and implementation costs continue to rise.

For consultancies such as ADAPTOVATE, that creates an opening to sell services around organisational change, learning and governance rather than pure technology implementation. The firm said enterprises are moving from a period of broad AI experimentation to one in which repeatable business outcomes matter more than headline adoption levels.

Research cited by ADAPTOVATE suggests organisations using embedded learning or capability uplift programmes are 3.5 times more likely to outperform competitors. The consultancy used that claim to support its view that AI transformation depends on workforce adoption and process redesign as much as model selection or software procurement.

Recent client work also showed that rapid deployment was possible when training was tailored to existing workflows and linked directly to practical use, according to the firm. "Seeing the workforce take absolute ownership of their learning - down to developers spontaneously creating their own AI tutorials - proves our model works. We are incredibly excited to take this exact blueprint for rapid, authentic capability building and roll it out across our upcoming enterprise programs," McNamara said.