SignifyAI

The challenge

For many organizations, the biggest challenge with AI is no longer the technology itself. The real challenge lies in driving adoption and creating measurable business value. How do you help employees not only understand AI, but also use it to improve processes, support better decision-making, and unlock new opportunities?

Signify faced the same challenge. As a global leader in lighting, the company wanted to accelerate the adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio across its organization of approximately 26,000 employees. The goal was not only to familiarize employees with the technology, but also to help them actively apply AI in their day-to-day work and translate its capabilities into tangible business value.

Achieving this required more than a series of training sessions. Signify was looking for a structured adoption program that would help employees identify, prioritize, and develop AI opportunities aligned with the organization's strategic objectives.

The approach

KPMG in the Netherlands developed the AI Champion Adoption Program in collaboration with Signify. Microsoft joined as the technology partner, contributing expertise in Copilot, Copilot Studio, and the development of AI agents.

The program combined inspiration, training, and hands-on application. Following a global kick-off, participants attended eight training sessions in which they explored the capabilities of Microsoft 365 Copilot and learned how to develop AI agents.

This knowledge provided the foundation for ten workshops covering different business domains. Drawing on real challenges from their day-to-day work, AI Champions explored how Copilot and AI agents could improve processes, support decision-making, and create new forms of business value.

The workshops generated 126 potential use cases. KPMG, Microsoft, and Signify subsequently assessed these opportunities based on strategic relevance, expected impact, and feasibility. This created a clear distinction between applications that could be implemented quickly and more complex solutions requiring central coordination, specialized expertise, and appropriate governance.

The result

A total of 158 AI Champions were trained and supported. The global kick-off achieved a 90 percent attendance rate, while each training session attracted between 150 and 200 participants from Asia, Europe, and the United States.

The 126 identified use cases provide Signify with a clear view of where AI can create value across the organization. During a hackathon, 18 initial AI agents and prototypes were developed to test and validate the practical application of a range of ideas.

Signify also now has a roadmap for further implementation. Less complex applications can be developed by AI Champions within clear central guardrails, while more advanced solutions can be coordinated centrally, with appropriate attention to quality, security, scalability, and governance.

The program delivered more than a set of practical solutions. It also established a structured approach for identifying, prioritizing, and implementing new AI opportunities, providing Signify with a strong foundation for sustainable value creation through AI.

The team that made the difference

The KPMG team in the Netherlands supported Signify throughout the program, from adoption and training to the identification, prioritization, and development of practical AI applications. Microsoft contributed the technical expertise and support needed to help bring these ideas into practice.