The research behind the scenes

My INSEAD thesis, Journeying Through the Maze: Transitions and AI in the Mind of Accountants, explored the conscious and unconscious dynamics of professionals navigating AI adoption. The research revealed seven distinct personas — from the Traditionalist defending legacy to the Wise Sage integrating reflection with action — and three collective archetypes through which we relate to AI: as Hero, Destroyer, or Trickster.

These are not abstract categories. Stories foster empathy and connection, create emotional engagement and help us to make sense of complexity. People recognise themselves in these stories, and that recognition opens the door towards genuine change.

The thesis examiners at INSEAD described the work as "one of the first papers we have read about AI where we found our own nervous system settling." They noted its "spaciousness and empathy for the individual and collective social defenses" and its capacity to hold complexity without reducing it.

This research is not finished. Through the ongoing AI Integration Intelligence Index and continued conversations with professionals and senior leaders across sectors, I am continuing to build a living body of knowledge about how we experience the transition to AI, complementing facts with a rich collection of stories that reveal the human experience.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their stories which inspire my next steps.