Episode 1 - People: The forgotten AI transformation step that can lead to success or failure

Most AI projects don't fail on the technology. They fail because people are not involved in the journey. In this episode, we're joined by Simon Drinkwater, founder of Vantor Advisory and a Prosci-certified change practitioner with over 28 years in people strategy and organisational change. He founded Vantor Advisory to serve as a trusted conscience for SME leaders under pressure to modernise. His focus is on making sure innovation strengthens leadership capability rather than layering technology on top of existing dysfunction. We get into why people are the load-bearing pillar of any AI rollout. We discuss the reason for taking your team on the journey rather than dropping tools on them: a clear strategy before any software, an honest narrative about what AI will and won't do, and naming the places where you choose not to use it at all. Set those expectations early, and you avoid the fear, the quiet resistance, and the stalled implementations that sink most projects. This one is for any leader who wants the transformation to actually stick. Less hype, more help. The no-nonsense podcast for AI in business. Big thanks to Nxt Gen AI for sponsoring the series. They're hosting an event at the ICC Wales this June, where Marco is also speaking. Use code configur for 10% off tickets → https://nxtgenai.co.uk/Landing Follow Configur Website: https://www.configur.ai/ LinkedIn:   / configur   Instagram:   / configur_hq   Facebook:   / configurhq   TikTok:   / configur_hq   Follow Marco LinkedIn:   / configur-marco   Learn about Vantor Advisory Website: https://vantoradvisory.com/ LinkedIn:   / vantor-advisory   Follow Simon   / simondrinkwater1