A sensemaking approach for AI adoption: the role of AI framing and digital culture

Purpose Artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how organizations make decisions, engage customers, and manage operations. However, many organizations struggle with AI adoption, not because of technological barriers but because they overlook the role of organizational culture. Therefore, this paper presents a sensemaking approach that explains how organizational culture shapes AI adoption. Design/methodology/approach Building on sensemaking theory, we follow Jaakkola's (2020) Model approach to integrate the Li et al. (2025) AI framing typology (as a tool or an agent) with digital organizational culture to conceptualize a sensemaking process for AI adoption. Specifically, we propose AI framing as a managerial sensemaking cue and digital culture as an employee's sensemaking schema for understanding AI. Our conceptual framework depicts a sensemaking process that shapes subsequent AI adoption. Findings We argue that AI adoption is a sensemaking process rather than a one-time and uniform technological decision. Based on this perspective, we present a set of research propositions that specify how cultural archetypes and AI framing influence adoption outcomes, and how AI ownership and organization–employee digital cultural congruence play moderating roles. In addition, we suggest directions for future research on empirical validation, cultural evolution, ethical considerations, and impact on performance. Practical implications Our proposed framework offers insights into understanding organizations' digital culture, developing an appropriate AI framing strategy, and assessing where organizational tensions may arise during AI adoption. Originality/value While it is well understood that AI can be beneficial for many aspects of organizations, the approach to adopting these technologies remains unclear. This study presents a framework for evaluating and adopting AI technologies that is informed by an organization's culture.