In defense of AI mandates (xpost)

A defense of technology mandates as a legitimate management tool for driving organizational change. The author argues that mandates are essentially a funding mechanism — they signal that a change is genuinely important by allocating time, resources, and cover for managers when deadlines slip. Without explicit funding and a mandate, telling employees to adopt AI in their spare time is the same as saying it's not a priority. The post urges leaders to be consistent: if AI is existential, fund the transition honestly; if it's a nice-to-have, don't later blame employees for not upskilling. Mandates should be a last resort, but when used, leadership must follow through and be proven right.