Unlocking the Power of AI Through Workforce Fluency

The Case for Building AI Fluency 

When we talk about AI fluency, we aren’t just talking about the technical skills needed to use AI tools, we are also talking about knowing what AI can do, how to use it responsibly, and how to think critically about its outputs. AI fluency is the ability to understand, interact with, and effectively use AI tools in our everyday working environment. Having AI fluency is important for several reasons, including:

• Boosting Productivity: Being fluent allows employees to leverage AI tools to streamline tasks and make them more productive and efficient.
• Empowering Better Decision Making: AI tools can analyze large amounts of information and data, detect patterns, and develop insights. If employees have AI fluency, they can interpret this information correctly and use it to make decisions.
• Promoting Responsible Use: Developing AI fluency allows employees to understand its limitations and ethical considerations – like bias, privacy, and transparency.

AI fluency is now a must-have skill for employees, including federal employees, in light of Executive Order 14179 and OMB Memorandum M-25-21, which together set an agenda for transforming government work through AI. With the issuing of these orders, agencies need employees who understand AI’s capabilities and its limitations. Agencies also need employees who can evaluate these systems for bias and transparency and integrate AI into critical agency workflows. Building AI fluency among federal employees is an important part of ensuring agencies continue to innovate and best serve the public.

Common Barriers to AI Fluency (and How to Overcome Them)

When it comes to building AI fluency among employees, organizations can face some common barriers or sources of resistance, including:

• Low Digital Literacy: If employees lack a basic understanding of data, algorithms, or automation, AI concepts can feel inaccessible.
• Job Displacement Concerns: Employees may resist learning about AI because they fear it will replace their roles.
• Lack of Leadership Buy-in: If an organization’s leadership doesn’t prioritize AI fluency, it is unlikely to be embedded in learning or strategy.
• Change Fatigue: When an environment is constantly changing, AI can feel like just another fad or buzzword.

Organizations can help lower these barriers and reduce employee resistance by developing robust training and communications plans that focus on:

• Training Opportunities: Training opportunities focused on building a foundational understanding of what AI is and how it works, teaching employees how to develop strong prompts, and sessions discussing how to ethically use AI will make employees more comfortable using this technology and give them the confidence to incorporate it more fully into their day-to-day work.
• Leadership-Focused Training Opportunities: Offering targeted training opportunities for leaders to learn how they can incorporate AI technology into their teams, how they can support their employees’ learning, and ways they can prioritize the use of AI across the organization gives them the tools to drive meaningful change.
• Organization-wide Communications: Understanding the current climate of AI, how rules and regulations impact the use of AI, and how an organization is using AI are important pieces of information that need to be communicated to employees. Regular communications on topics related to AI can help employees understand how the AI landscape is changing and how their organization is addressing these changes.
• AI Resources: AI resources like an AI prompt library, one-pagers, and glossary of AI terms can help support employees’ learning and help them build their AI skills. Creating a centralized resource hub for employees, such as an internal SharePoint site, can also sustain learning and provide on-demand support.
• Feedback Tools: Seeking feedback from employees through surveys about trainings, the overall AI strategy, and general insights they have on AI can help to refine the organization’s strategic approach, enhance your change management, prioritize future topics, and ensure that other internal AI initiatives deliver real value for the workforce.

Conclusion: Drive AI Adoption with Confidence

At FMP, we’ve learned that building AI fluency is the foundation for successful adoption. Through our experience designing comprehensive AI training programs, leading change management and communications strategies, and implementing robust governance frameworks, we’ve helped teams move from curious to confident while using AI. Whether you’re looking to educate your workforce, embed AI into your operations, or develop policies that ensure ethical and secure AI use, FMP can help you chart the path forward. Our experience has given us a proven playbook for building AI capability and driving adoption.

Ready to start your AI journey? Let’s talk about how we can help your organization build AI fluency and unlock the full potential of this transformative technology. Contact FMP today to learn more.

Meg Duffy is a Senior Consultant who has experience with training development and facilitation, managing and supporting employees, and program management and development. Meg is a member of FMP’s Learning and Development Community of Practice (CoP) and the Project Management Community of Practice (CoP). For fun, she likes to bake, run, travel, and try out all the great restaurants in the DMV.

Shareen Drilling joined FMP in November 2018 and is a Consultant in the Learning and Development Center of Excellence (L&D COE). Shareen is also a DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester and passionate about developing accessible and inclusive training solutions. When Shareen isn’t designing e-learning content, facilitating workshops, or supporting virtual trainings, she enjoys trying new recipes in her kitchen, spending time outdoors, and watching anything sci-fi/fantasy on her couch with her husband and cat.