Methodology

The AI Adoption Assessment is a 16-item psychometric instrument measuring respondent positions across three core dimensions: governance, optimism, and pace. Items use a 5-point Likert scale (-2 to +2), with reverse-coding where the direction indicates alignment with a dimension. Scores are normalized to a -1 to +1 range. The final profile is determined by your governance (x-axis) and optimism (y-axis) position.

The five profiles

• Accelerationist — high market orientation, high optimism. Innovation-focused.
• Progressive Advocate — regulation-supportive, high optimism. Risk-aware optimism.
• Skeptical Restrainer — regulation-supportive, low optimism. Structural concerns.
• Pragmatic Observer — market-leaning, lower optimism. Evidence-based, selective adoption.
• Centrist — balanced across both axes. Context-dependent.

Use cases

The instrument is designed as a discourse catalyst, not a diagnosis. Common uses:

• 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.
• Organizational diagnostics: map your team's distribution across profiles to identify governance gaps or evidence gaps.
• 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

For organizations using the instrument as part of an AI strategy or change-management engagement, Third Horizon offers a polished team report and a 60-minute facilitated discussion. Email hello@thirdhorizon.com.