Refresh your Champion program
for the next wave of AI adoption

Keep your program relevant

A Champion program that worked well when you first launched probably won’t stay relevant forever. As AI adoption grows, the questions employees have, the ways they use Microsoft Copilot, and the support they need will change.

Early on, Champions might spend more time helping people get started with Copilot and sharing foundational scenarios. Within a few months, employees may be ready to explore more advanced or role-specific workflows. New opportunities like Cowork and agents may also change what teams can do with AI.

Your Champion program should evolve along with them.

Regularly refreshing your program gives you a chance to look at what’s changed, what you’ve learned, and what Champions should focus on next. That way, you can scale what’s working, adjust what isn’t, and make sure the program continues to support the needs of employees and the organization. 

Set a regular refresh cadence

There’s no universal schedule that works for every Champion program. You might revisit your strategy monthly, quarterly, or as part of your organization’s existing rhythm of business. What matters is reviewing it regularly rather than letting the original launch plan run indefinitely.

Each review is an opportunity to assess how adoption is changing. For example, fewer basic Copilot questions may signal that employees are ready to move beyond introductory scenarios and explore more advanced, creative, or role-specific ways to use AI.

Changes in your organization’s AI strategy can also signal that it’s time for a refresh. Your organization might be introducing Cowork, encouraging experimentation with agents, or allocating a Copilot credit budget. In that case, Champions may need to move beyond helping employees get started with Copilot and help them navigate a broader set of AI experiences.

Build the updated Champion strategy

Once you’ve reviewed what you learned, decide how your Champion strategy should evolve for the next wave.

You may not need to create entirely new activities or resources. In many cases, you can adjust the purpose or focus of the Champion activities already in place.

Your updated strategy should make three things clear: what Champions will focus on next, which teams or workflows they’ll support, and how that work connects to the business outcome you’re trying to influence.

Help Champions keep up
with changes

Your Champion strategy will continue to evolve between refreshes. New AI capabilities will emerge, teams will find new ways to use them, and Champions will field questions from their peers.

Champions don’t need to become experts on every new capability, but they do need a reliable way to learn about the changes that matter to their teams so they can translate them into practical guidance.

Embed that learning into activities that are already part of your program:

• Dedicate a few minutes of community calls to what’s changing and why it matters.
• Invite Champions to share new examples from their teams.
• Hold office hours to answer more complex questions.
• Share relevant scenarios and examples through training or team communication channels.

This ongoing exchange also gives you useful input for the next refresh. What Champions hear from their teams can help you understand where employees need more support, where new opportunities are emerging, and where the program may need to adjust.

As your next refresh cycle approaches, bring those insights together with what you’re hearing from leadership and IT admins about upcoming priorities and capabilities. That way, you’ll have a more complete picture of what’s changing and where Champions can have the greatest impact.