Artificial Intelligence is now seen as the world’s wizard of redefining every space of modern work. However, many companies grapple with where to begin. In the 2024 McKinsey Global Survey, it was found that 72% of companies had widely started adopting at least one AI capability. On the other hand, only 23% of them propagated the use of AI in multiple functions at scale. Compounding this challenge is the growing skills gap; a statement from the World Economic Forum explains that more than 50% of employees will require reskilling by 2025. Innovation and implementation are the two most lustrous jewels in the crown of growth. Success requires not only access to technology but also readiness, literacy, and the ability to adapt at scale.
Across industries, the challenge remains the same: How do you move millions of employees from AI curiosity to AI fluency? How do you ensure that innovation doesn’t stay trapped in silos or pilot programs, but spreads across departments and unlocks real value? The pressure is real and rising. Companies are investing billions into AI solutions, but according to a report, only 17% of organizations report achieving significant financial benefits from AI. The rest are still navigating the complex journey from exploration to execution.
Nowhere are these questions timelier, and nowhere are the stakes higher, than within a large-scale enterprise. Especially for the companies employing tens of millions of people and servicing hundreds of millions more. Enter the world’s largest private employer and retailer, a Fortune 1 company with over 2 million associates. Right at the center of this whole transformation is Rishi Venkat, a product & go-to-market leader leading AI transformation & strategy, confronting these questions and perhaps redefining the rules for AI adoption as it applies to one of the most complex organizations in the world.
Rishi’s journey began with a simple insight: traditional AI learning methods, recorded webinars, PDFs, and passive training were not cutting it. In a company where speed matters, these tools were too slow, too shallow, and too disconnected from the way people actually work. So he set out to build something different, something immersive, hands-on, and scalable.
His solution was as ambitious as it was transformative. Rishi led the design and launch of a comprehensive generative AI program. The program includes live workshops, custom GPTs, Copilot agents, and rapid prototyping tools. These weren’t just new tools; they were new ways of thinking. Suddenly, associates from various departments could go from idea to working prototype in seconds. This allowed them to bypass months-long development backlogs and turn creativity into immediate impact.
The impact metrics tell a compelling story: post-workshop AI tool adoption rates surged threefold. Product development cycles were slashed by over 50%. Most significantly, participants evolved beyond mere learners into passionate AI advocates, catalyzing technological adoption across their teams. Its benefits will extend beyond individual business divisions.
One of Rishi’s most strategic moves was the creation of the GenAI Leads initiative, a means for enablement through hands-on workshops, training and keynotes. It was a cross-functional coalition of senior leaders focused on aligning enterprise AI priorities. This initiative didn’t just streamline decision-making; it created a culture of ownership and clarity around AI use cases. It also laid the groundwork for sustainable innovation, with Rishi’s frameworks now adopted as best practices across departments.
But the transformation hasn’t been purely structural; it’s deeply human. Rishi placed a strong emphasis on user experience and empathy in AI learning. His workshops don’t feel like corporate training, they feel like collaborative innovation labs. Associates come away not just with knowledge, but with the confidence to explore, test, and implement AI ideas in their daily work.
“What we have done here isn’t just about technology; it’s about people. It’s about giving our teams the confidence and tools to explore, experiment, and evolve,” says Rishi. “AI isn’t the future of work. It’s the present. And we’re making sure everyone is ready for it.”
Beyond education and strategy, Rishi led the development of AI-native platforms. He also led the development of an in-house performance management system that replaced legacy platforms like Workday. These platforms aren’t just digital upgrades; they represent a philosophical shift toward real-time feedback, dynamic goal setting, and AI-augmented performance analysis. He also built custom Copilot agents tailored to internal use cases, enabling employees to perform tasks faster, smarter, and with greater autonomy.
Rishi’s expertise in rapid, scalable development stands as a defining strength. His prototypes consistently serve as blueprints for enterprise-wide implementations, optimizing resource utilization and eliminating redundant iteration cycles. Projects that historically demanded months of inter-departmental coordination now reach completion in days or even hours.
While others in similar roles focus on narrow product lines, Rishi’s contributions span strategy, implementation, and cultural transformation. His approach is characterized by speed, originality, and scalability. His prototypes often become the foundation for enterprise-wide best practices. His AI learning models are not static content; they are evolving ecosystems designed to grow with the needs of the business.
In the broader context, Rishi’s work represents more than internal success. It’s a model for the future of work, where AI isn’t siloed within IT departments but embedded in the daily lives of every employee. His vision of democratized AI, where anyone can build, learn, and lead. It offers a powerful example of what’s possible when strategy meets action at scale.
It also raises the bar for what companies should expect from their AI leaders. Rishi isn’t just implementing tools, he’s building the culture, systems, and capabilities that enable sustainable transformation. His blend of technical fluency, strategic vision, and people-first mindset has helped one of the world’s most complex organizations take confident steps into an AI-powered future.
As industries wrestle with AI implementation challenges, Rishi Venkat presents a transformative solution: integrate AI holistically, scale systematically, and empower your workforce to drive innovation from within.
