Is Traditional Change Management Being Eradicated in the AI Era?

In a Fast Company article, Ben Kalevitch of United Minds and Ryan Heath of Robin.AI report that traditional change management is being eradicated. For decades, the consulting industry thrived on the promise of managing resistance to change. However, their use of linear models, rigid key performance indicators, and top-down communication is becoming obsolete.

Traditional change management programs were designed around staged rollouts and survey-driven adoption metrics. Although they offered order and predictability, they often failed to account for the human and cultural complexities of transformation. With AI, the pace and depth of change are different. 

Technologies evolve too quickly for static programs, and employee concerns extend beyond processes to existential questions about careers and identity. In this environment, inflexible approaches fall short, leaving organizations vulnerable to costly missteps. Forward-thinking leaders today recognize that the focus must be on a unique combination of people, processes, and technology.

As a recent example, a multinational pharmaceutical firm leveraged AI-driven analysis of employees’ attitudes, behavioral analytics, and feedback loops to shape its transformation in real time. The result was greater trust, inclusivity, and adaptability, with change continuously shaped by how employees were actually working.  

Experts argue that future success depends on replacing rigid frameworks with experimentation, continuous feedback, and empowerment at every level. Pilots can uncover viable use cases, while early adopters can champion progress across teams. Leaders, meanwhile, must move beyond token support to role-modeling new tools and practices.

While traditional change management is being eradicated in the AI era, the message for legal operations professionals is clear. Adaptability now outranks efficiency. Clinging to outdated consulting models is not only ineffective but also risks leaving organizations structurally unprepared for the relentless impact of AI.