Former NYU dean helps companies overcome psychological barriers to AI adoption

Former NYU Stern Business School dean Conor Grennan has pioneered a new approach to generative AI adoption by addressing the human, rather than technological, barriers preventing widespread implementation. Through his consulting company AI Mindset, Grennan trains professionals at major organizations like McKinsey, NASA, and Google to reframe their thinking about tools like ChatGPT, helping them move beyond treating AI as merely a search engine and instead leveraging its conversational intelligence capabilities.

The big picture: Despite initial enthusiasm about generative AI tools, Grennan discovered that organizations struggle to integrate them into daily operations due to psychological rather than technical barriers.

• After introducing ChatGPT to NYU Stern, Grennan found companies were excited about AI but failed to implement it effectively even after training workshops.
• This pattern revealed that people instinctively approach ChatGPT like Google, missing its unique conversational capabilities due to the brain’s reliance on familiar patterns.

Why this matters: The resistance to adopting AI tools despite their accessibility highlights a critical gap in organizational transformation that goes beyond technical training.

• Grennan’s observation that “people weren’t using generative AI, despite being enthusiastic in the session” points to deeper cognitive obstacles rather than technological limitations.

Key details: Grennan’s journey from academic leader to AI consultant began when he explored ChatGPT in early 2023 and immediately recognized its potential to “change how everybody works across every industry.”

• With permission from NYU Stern leadership, he created a program teaching students, faculty, and administrators how to use generative AI effectively.
• He simultaneously developed GenAI case studies with NYU-affiliated companies to demonstrate real-world applications of the technology.
• This work ultimately led to the creation of AI Mindset, his consulting firm focused on helping organizations adopt a new framework for using generative AI.

What they’re saying: Grennan believes that liberal arts skills will become increasingly valuable as AI becomes more integrated into workplaces.

• “People who are good at communication, people who are good at relationships and good critical thinkers… are the people who are going to do absolutely outstanding,” Grennan told Newsweek.

Looking ahead: Grennan aims to upskill NYU’s entire administration to transform it into an “AI-powered institution” that operates more efficiently and better prepares students for an AI-integrated future.