Methodology

The AI Adoption Assessment is a 16-item instrument measuring respondent positions on two axes: Adoption Posture (Wait ↔ Ready — how willing you are to integrate new AI tools into your work) and Locus of Trust (Emergent ↔ Organized — where you look for cues about whether to trust AI: peers and markets, or rules and audits). Items use a 5-point Likert scale (−2 to +2), are presented in randomized order to reduce ordering effects, and include reverse-coded items in each direction to mitigate acquiescence bias. Scores are normalized to a −1 to +1 range. Profile labels mark regions of a continuous quadrant — your dot is the measurement, the label is shorthand for a position on a spectrum.

The four profiles

• Builder — high readiness, peer-guided. Active early adopter; trusts results over rules.
• Sanctioned Adopter — high readiness, rule-guided. Eager to deploy with appropriate authorization in place.
• Watcher — restraint, rule-guided. Patient observer awaiting institutional clarity.
• Skeptic — restraint, peer-guided. Cautious by default; persuaded only by direct evidence.

There is no Centrist option. Every dot is assigned to one of the four profiles, with an intensity modifier — Strong, Moderate, or Borderline with a leaning toward the adjacent profile.

Honest limitations

• The two axes are theoretically distinct but may correlate in real respondents. Without a normative dataset (n ≥ 200) we treat them as related signals rather than fully independent dimensions.
• The instrument is calibrated against simulated response patterns — synthetic respondents drawn from each profile region. Real-world norms will be developed as response data accumulates.
• Single-respondent measurement noise is non-trivial — items near the boundary between profiles will sometimes flip on retest. The instrument is more reliable in aggregate (team rollups, n ≥ 5) than for individual labeling.
• Adoption Posture is partially a function of your role. Individual contributors and senior leaders score differently for reasons unrelated to attitude. Interpret accordingly.

Use cases

• AI implementation: understand stakeholder positions before rolling out tools.
• Culture & change management: the team takes the assessment, then discusses why people landed where they did.
• Workshop tool: the 16-item assessment takes five minutes; the conversation can take an hour.

Open source, MIT licensed

The instrument and this site are MIT licensed. You may use it commercially, modify it, and share it freely. Attribution is appreciated but not required.

Run this with your team

Third Horizon offers a polished aggregate report ($99) and a facilitated 30-minute debrief ($499) for organizations using the instrument as part of an AI strategy or change-management engagement. See the team report page.