Why AI Adoption Fails Without Behavior Change

Why AI Adoption Fails Without Behavior Change

1:02:12 Feb 21, 2026
About this episode
AI adoption keeps stalling in organizations for the same reason most conferences are forgettable: nobody designed for behavior change. Nick Bonora, Director of the Purdue University Event Design LAB℠, joins Jason Padgett to connect event design methodology to the real barriers behind AI integration at work and in life.Key topics covered:Why behavior change is the only real measure of a successful event or AI rolloutHow empathy mapping helps you understand stakeholder resistance before you try to fix itUsing divergent and convergent thinking to know when to bring AI in and when to keep it outHow to prompt AI more effectively by giving it design context, not just instructionsThe difference between AI for business efficiency and AI for creative work, and why they need different strategiesWhat young people entering an AI-saturated workforce actually need to build a career aroundNick built the first university-based Event Design LAB℠ in the U.S. at Purdue in partnership with the Event Design Collective. His framework has real application for anyone trying to move people from resistant to bought-in, whether the change is a conference, a software rollout, or an organizational shift.This one runs long because it earns it. It ends up somewhere most AI conversations don't go: purpose, resilience, and what it means to find meaning when your job title stops being the answer.About Nick Bonora: Director, Purdue University Event Design LAB℠ | 23 years in collegiate hospitality and conference services | First university-based Event Design LAB in the U.S. | Emory UniversityLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasbonora/Purdue Event Design LAB℠: https://www.linkedin.com/company/purdue-university-event-design-lab%E2%84%A0/Event Design Collective: https://edco.global/event-design-lab/Work with Jason → jason@phoenixsolutionsgroup.org🌐 https://www.phoenixsolutionsgroup.org/Newsletter → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7399599285849346048AI Launchpad → https://www.skool.com/signup?ref=025b0ccdd6374664a2aab5df527ab2f5AGI Podcast shows:School's Out Saturdays: AI in education, K-12 through universityWeekly Blitz: AI news every Monday, 30-45 minutesData Bytes: Data literacy for business ownersThe Vibe: Deep conversations, no time limitAll platforms: https://linktr.ee/AGIPodcastFollow: Facebook + LinkedIn @AGIPodcast | Instagram @AGISchoolsout | X @NoCodeCAIOTools:MindStudio → https://get.mindstudio.ai/q7n7u5cttkdqRiverside.fm → https://riverside.sjv.io/e1xyBr
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