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Sixteen New Brunswick companies are taking part in a new AI adoption pilot designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) put people, leadership, and organizational readiness at the centre of how they adopt AI.

Created by UNB’s McKenna Institute in partnership with the Wallace McCain Institute (WMI), with leadership from MESH Insights, and KJ Advisory in organizational change and technology transformation, the pilot is part of the McKenna Institute’s ongoing work to advance tech adoption in New Brunswick. It is made possible by the continued generous support of the Barrett family.

Drawing on WMI’s nearly 20 years of experience running peer mastermind forums of business owners and senior decision makers in Atlantic Canada, the pilot creates a trusted environment where leaders learn alongside one another over time and support each other’s growth. Each of the 16 companies will run an AI pilot within their organizations over six months to transform a key aspect of business operations. The participants will be supported by mentorship and implementation expertise, peer coaching and accountability, and regular check-in points that track how each organization’s readiness and adoption takes effect over time.

This pilot addresses a key priority outlined in the Government of Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: AI for All, released Monday. The strategy identifies responsible adoption of open-source AI by Canadian SMEs and others.

“What we hear from business leaders is that the hard part of AI isn't the technology, it's the people. Folks are already stretched thin, they're feeling overwhelmed, and there's real nervousness about what it all means for their teams,” said Kathryn Lockhart, executive director of the McKenna Institute. “So we built this program around people first. Give leaders the know-how, the confidence, and the right support to use AI on their own terms, and adoption becomes much more realistic.”

Industry research shows that more than 80 per cent of AI pilots fail to deliver their intended business outcomes. Often, the barrier is not the technology alone, but the readiness, leadership, workflows, and business context needed to make it useful. This pilot starts with the business problem each leader is trying to solve, then measures organizational readiness and executive AI literacy before introducing technology. The program treats adoption as something the executive team owns directly, connecting organizational readiness with practical implementation.

“For the past 18 years, we have seen how businesses can grow bigger faster when you create a safe, confidential space for leaders to work through their real-time, real-world problems alongside people who ‘get it’ and are committed to collective progress,” said Tracy Bell, executive director of the Wallace McCain Institute. “In this cohort, we have paired that peer support model with change management experts who can guide our leaders through the human side of adoption. It gives them a trusted space to ask the hard questions and the hands-on support to act on those answers. That combination is what turns intention into real change inside a business.”

New Brunswick’s SMEs employ a significant share of the province’s workforce and contribute in measurable ways to the province’s economic strength. In that way, practical AI adoption is incredibly important for the productivity and overall success of businesses in the province.

The first of two cohorts launched in June, and a second cohort is already planned, with the goal of helping more small and medium-sized businesses build the confidence and support needed to make AI work on their own terms.

About the McKenna Institute

The McKenna Institute helps New Brunswick strengthen its use of technology by focusing on where adoption can create the greatest impact. Rooted in collaboration and a belief in New Brunswick’s potential, the Institute fuels economic growth and social progress through initiatives that help educators, workers and business owners use technology with confidence and purpose.

About the Wallace McCain Institute

The Wallace McCain Institute at the University of New Brunswick exists to support the growth of business owners and leaders in Atlantic Canada through in-person peer learning and professional development. Creating safe, confidential spaces for leaders to make progress together – creating strong companies, teams, communities, and a stronger region by extension – is the Institute’s work.

About the University of New Brunswick

Established in 1785, the University of New Brunswick is Canada’s longest standing English-language university and New Brunswick’s only national comprehensive institution. Located on the unsurrendered and unceded traditional Wolastoqey land, UNB’s Fredericton and Saint John campuses welcome nearly 10,000 students from over 100 countries, offering a world class education across more than 250 innovative programs, certificates and diplomas. UNB is New Brunswick's sponsored research leader, advancing knowledge in areas including energy, health, environment and security. Together, UNB is transforming communities and helping shape a more just, equitable and inclusive world.

Media contact

Liam Floyd
Communications and Events Officer
McKenna Institute
lfloyd@unb.ca