AI Literacy: A Practical People-Centered Approach

AI literacy is the ability to understand, question, and work with artificial intelligence, while viewing opportunities and challenges through an AI-informed lens. AI literacy is not about becoming an AI professional overnight. AI literacy is a way to empower your people. It is about building both individual and organizational mindset, confidence, and capability to engage meaningfully with AI in your role and across the organization, while continuously improving your skillset as the technology evolves.

At MSS Business Transformation (MSSBTA), we break AI literacy down into three practical, progressive stages:

1. Nail the Basics: Start with Understanding

This is the foundational stage. It is essential for everyone, regardless of role or technical expertise. You don’t need to build large language models, but you do need to understand how they work and what they can (and cannot) do. For example:

• AI doesn’t “know;” it finds patterns.

• It doesn’t tell you the truth; it offers what’s likely true.

• It doesn’t think; it calculates and processes data at scale.

Understanding these principles strengthens critical thinking about AI. It means developing practical savvy, knowing where AI performs well, where it falls short, and how to ask the right questions.

2. Build Mastery: Because AI Is a Verb

To understand, you need to act. You can’t think your way into AI literacy. True literacy comes from doing. This phase is about engaging directly with AI in your day-to-day work:

• Use AI tools as a teammate. Experiment. Learn by doing.

• Explore how bias, data quality, and ethics show up in practice.

• Ask better questions to get better results.
  

As Ted Lasso wisely put it, “Be curious, not judgmental.” You don’t need to be a technical expert to lead in AI, but you do need to believe in yourself and get into the game.

3. Lead the Way: From Competence to Confidence

Once you’ve built experience, the next step is helping others navigate the space. Leadership in AI doesn’t mean knowing everything. It means creating clarity for others in a fast-moving world:

• Be a voice of reason when the hype cycle hits.

• Push for thoughtful, ethical, human-centered uses.

• Focus on mindset rather than tools. Tools will change, but mindset is what drives lasting impact.

  
  

Here’s one more powerful concept to keep in mind: adaptive resilience. This is the ability to remain grounded, flexible, and forward-thinking in the face of continuous change. As AI evolves, this becomes your superpower. It’s not just about bouncing back from disruption; it’s about evolving and growing stronger because of it.

Final Thought

AI literacy is a way to empower people and no longer an optional skillset. It is quickly becoming a core business and organizational capability. Start with the basics. Practice through hands-on use. Step into leadership. Stay curious. Stay creative. Keep the human touch and don’t forget to have a little fun along the way.