The Adoption AI Mirage: Why Most Enterprises Aren’t Ready for AI in RISE with SAP

Over the past five articles, we have uncovered the Unk Unks, the hidden adoption risks that quietly erode ROI in RISE with SAP programs.

Each one exposed a different dimension of the same challenge: adoption is being treated as a project task, and not as an operational model that must be embedded into the enterprise infrastructure. Until leaders make that shift in thinking, every other risk in this Unk Unk series becomes a moot point.

Now, we come to the final Unk Unk, the most urgent and misunderstood of them all.

It is the belief that artificial intelligence will somehow fix everything.

It will not.

This is The Adoption AI Mirage, the illusion that AI will deliver transformative value even when the foundations of adoption remain weak.

The Mirage of AI-Driven Transformation

AI is being positioned as the next great unlock in RISE with SAP.

Predictive analytics, co-pilots, and intelligent automation promise to redefine how enterprises operate.

But AI is not a magic lever. It depends entirely on the quality of the adoption that precedes it.

If workflows are inconsistent, if data is incomplete, if users are disengaged, AI does not create value, it multiplies the noise.

The truth is uncomfortable:

AI does not fix poor adoption. It amplifies it.

How the Mirage Appears

In most large-scale programs, the AI Mirage forms gradually.

1. The promise outpaces readiness Leaders announce bold AI ambitions before core adoption has stabilised.
2. Data is assumed, not verified Teams believe they have “clean data,” but usage analytics reveal fragmented processes and missing inputs.
3. Tools are deployed without context AI co-pilots and predictive dashboards are implemented, but users lack the enablement to interpret or trust them.
4. Success is defined by rollout, not outcome AI features go live, yet no one measures whether they are used or whether they change business performance.

By the time the mirage fades, the cost is already sunk – investment, time, and credibility.

Why the Mirage Persists

The AI Mirage thrives because of three misconceptions that are still deeply embedded in transformation programs.

1. “Technology drives change” In reality, technology enables change. People drive it. Without adoption maturity, AI remains idle potential.
2. “AI will automate adoption” AI can accelerate insights and personalise guidance, but it cannot substitute for governance, accountability, or learning culture.
3. “We can layer AI later” If adoption foundations are weak, layering AI later only magnifies the gaps – inconsistent processes, poor data, and limited trust.

The Symptoms of the AI Mirage

When enterprises fall into this trap, they start to see the same patterns:

• AI pilots that stall. Proof-of-concepts never scale beyond controlled environments
• Insights without impact. Dashboards light up with data that no one acts on
• User resistance. Employees question AI recommendations because they do not understand the logic behind them
• Compliance exposure. Inconsistent adoption of AI-driven processes increases operational risk
• Erosion of trust. Executives lose confidence in both the data and the technology.

In short, the AI promise becomes a perception problem. Leaders start to believe that “AI doesn’t work,” when in fact, adoption never did.

The Real Prerequisite: Adoption Maturity

AI readiness begins long before the first model is trained.

It starts with adoption maturity – the ability to manage continuous change through measurable human performance.

The most advanced enterprises share five traits:

1. Governed operating model – Adoption is treated as a permanent capability with executive ownership.
2. Continuous enablement – Learning and support are built into the flow of work through digital adoption platforms.
3. Behavioural analytics – Usage, accuracy, and process adherence are tracked to identify where friction occurs.
4. Clean, reliable data – Processes are executed consistently, producing data AI can trust.
5. Cultural readiness – Employees understand the role of AI and trust it as an aid, not a threat.

Without these foundations, AI cannot learn correctly or perform reliably.

When Adoption Enables AI

When adoption operates as a managed, measurable discipline, AI moves from mirage to multiplier.

• Predictive accuracy improves because data inputs are consistent and complete
• Co-pilots add real value because users trust their recommendations
• Decision-making accelerates because insight replaces intuition
• ROI compounds because continuous improvement becomes part of daily work

In these environments, AI is not a separate initiative. It is a natural extension of mature adoption.

The DAA Perspective

Digital Adoption Advisor (DAA) has seen this pattern repeatedly.

Organisations rush toward AI, convinced that automation will solve the adoption problem.

But the truth is the opposite: AI success depends on adoption discipline.

DAA helps enterprises build that discipline.

• We design adoption operating models that sustain continuous learning and behavioural insight
• We embed enablement frameworks into the daily flow of work
• We operationalise tools like WalkMe, Signavio, and SAP AI to create measurable value rather than isolated pilots

Our mission is simple:

To ensure that when AI arrives, it lands on solid ground, not shifting sand.

Final Thought

The final Unk Unk of RISE with SAP adoption is The Adoption AI Mirage – the false belief that AI can succeed without strong adoption foundations.

The earlier Unk Unks showed how outdated models, vanity metrics, orphaned ownership, inconsistent standards, and weak human enablement quietly erode ROI.

The AI Mirage shows what happens when those same weaknesses meet the next wave of technology.

Adoption maturity is not optional.

It is the operating system that makes AI work.

Because in transformation, technology will always mirror the strength of the humans behind it.

If adoption is invisible, AI will be ineffective.

If adoption is embedded, AI becomes the multiplier.

That is how enterprises turn RISE with SAP from potential into performance.