Mind over Model.
The Psychology of AI Adoption
Human motivation: the key to drive effective AI adoption and real-world impact.
In this report, we look at the current state of AI adoption across employees in the UK and US, and introduce the psychological levers available to organisations to improve Adoption Quality.
We've completed this research using our proprietary Adoption Quality Score (AQS) model and methodology. The AQS has been designed to provide a comprehensive view of the drivers and barriers that may sit beneath the surface and out of reach of more traditional assessments.
The AQS recognises four dimensions to high quality AI adoption within an organisation:
Means
The belief in having the skills, knowledge and training to use AI in work.
Readiness
The psychological drivers and barriers to workplace action that have the potential to block effective AI adoption.
Data collection February 2026 (UK & US N=1288)
Machinery
The resources, tools, culture and leadership support to use AI in work.
Relevance
The perception and beliefs around the importance of AI - to the industry, to the organisation, and to a specific role.
Copyright Meltwater Consulting Ltd 2025