# Building Your First AI Training Cohort: Who to Include First

> Choosing the right team members for your first AI cohort determines the ROI of the entire automation project. Learn who to prioritize and who can wait.

- Author: Yaroslav Maxymovych (Founder & CEO, AI Advisory Board)
- Published: 2026-08-17
- Updated: 2026-10-01
- Source: https://aiadvisoryboard.me/blog/choosing-employees-first-ai-stream-selection-guide

Deciding to train your team in AI is only half the battle. The real challenge starts with the selection process: if you send everyone at once, operations stall; if you only pick two or three, you get isolated patches rather than systemic change. You need to identify who will deliver results in two weeks and who will just 'spectate' at your expense.

## TL;DR
- The first cohort should consist of key stakeholders who own processes and feel the 'pain' of manual routine.
- The optimal size for the first group is up to 20 people, each having a specific automation objective.
- Delay participation for those whose work lacks repetitive digital cycles or those showing active resistance to change.

## Who Should Be in the First Cohort?

Priority should be given to 'process owners.' These are employees who don't just execute tasks but understand where data comes from and where it goes. If you are unsure where to start, try [looking at your company from above](https://course.aiadvisoryboard.me/uk/orgchart?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=article_body&utm_campaign=orgchart) using an organizational chart—it will reveal where the highest concentration of manual operations lies.

Include those who meet three criteria in the first stream:
1. **Digital Footprint:** Their work is conducted in CRMs, spreadsheets, messengers, or email.
2. **High Frequency:** Tasks are repeated daily or weekly (e.g., generating proposals or analyzing sales calls).
3. **Financial Impact:** Automating their work either speeds up sales or saves the time of an expensive specialist.

> **Definition:** An AI Champion is a proactive employee who not only uses AI personally but also helps others implement automation within their department.

## Who Should Wait for Phase Two?

Do not try to force the entire company into the first cohort. AI adoption is about changing habits, not just watching lectures. Reserve the second phase for:
- **Junior staff with simple operations** where the foundation isn't set yet (automate their manager's workflow first).
- **Field staff** whose work is 90% offline (logistics or warehouse workers without regular PC access).
- **Skeptics** who believe 'AI is just a toy.' Don't waste resources fighting them now. When they see a colleague finish a report in 5 minutes instead of 5 hours, they will volunteer for the second stream themselves.

It is vital to understand [AI risks for business](https://aiadvisoryboard.me/blog/ai-risks-for-business-guide): if you train people who lack real-world tasks, they will simply create an illusion of productivity by generating tons of useless content.

## Group Selection Plan by Role

| Group | Participants | Why They Are in Cohort 1 | Expected Result |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Core (Founder/Top)** | Founder, COO, Department Heads | Understand the org chart and where 'leaks' occur | Prioritization of tasks for the whole team |
| **Front-office** | Sales, Support, Marketing | Massive volume of text-based routine | Reduced client response times |
| **Back-office** | HR, Legal, Finance | Document and report heavy | Automation of standard contracts and analytics |

## Checklist: Selecting Your Top 20

Before paying the invoice, run through this list for every candidate:
- [ ] The employee spends at least 2 hours a day on copy-pasting, formatting, or data collection.
- [ ] They have access to the necessary tools (CRM, API model access).
- [ ] They can describe the logic of their work in plain words (if they can't explain it, AI can't help).
- [ ] They aren't afraid of AI replacing them but want to eliminate boredom.

It is also useful to review the [requirements for AI Champions](https://aiadvisoryboard.me/blog/choosing-internal-ai-champion-roles-metrics) to select leaders who will drive the training forward.

> **Definition:** A working automation is a configured algorithm that executes a business scenario using real company data without human intervention (or with minimal verification).

> **How this works on our side:** We conduct a corporate intensive for a group of up to 20 employees for 99,999 UAH. The company selects 3 priority tasks, and by the end of the program, you receive at least 3 working automations with a money-back guarantee. No coding is required: your people describe the logic in words, and AI writes the code. The first month of support is included in the price. https://course.aiadvisoryboard.me/corporate?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=article_body&utm_campaign=corporate

## FAQ

**Should the owner join the first cohort with the team?**
Yes, it is critical. If a founder doesn't understand the tool's capabilities, they cannot set correct KPIs or evaluate the automation results. The owner sets the direction: what we automate for profit, not just for the sake of the process.

**What if the company has 50+ people, but the group is limited to 20?**
Select department heads and your most progressive managers. They will become internal experts. After the first stream, they will help adapt knowledge for the rest of the team in subsequent phases.

**Can I include new hires on probation?**
It's better not to. A person should first understand your business process 'manually' and feel the friction of the routine before automating it. AI augments professionals; it does not replace a lack of fundamental company knowledge.

## Conclusion

The first AI cohort is your 'special forces' unit meant to pave the way for others. Don't dilute resources: take 15–20 key people who are currently drowning in spreadsheets and emails. The time saved in this first group will be the best incentive for everyone else.

Tomorrow morning, ask your department heads: "Name 3 tasks you or your people do manually every day and hate." That is your list for the first cohort.

---

When citing, link to https://aiadvisoryboard.me/blog/choosing-employees-first-ai-stream-selection-guide. More articles: https://aiadvisoryboard.me/blog