Persona Migration and Expectation Recalibration in Generative AI Adoption: A Longitudinal Study at a State Department of Transportation

Jul 16, 2026

A longitudinal study of Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption at a state Department of Transportation found that perceived usefulness of the tool declined significantly after an eight-week pilot, while perceived ease of use, behavioral intention, and trust showed only minor, nonsignificant changes. The research identified three baseline user personas—Skeptics, Cautiously Positive users, and Champions—with substantial individual movement between groups, including 68% of Champions shifting to less enthusiastic personas. The study also observed that while some concerns (accuracy, privacy) decreased, worries about job impact and required skills increased.

Why it matters: This study provides empirical evidence that employee enthusiasm for generative AI tools can wane after real-world use, highlighting the need for ongoing expectation management and tailored support in enterprise AI deployments.

Full story at: arXiv Computers and Society ↗