Through the ArtI program, generative AI and Copilot became accessible, meaningful and trusted. Not as a tech experiment, but as a new way of working. This case study shows how a people-centred approach, clear governance and tangible use cases can turn curiosity into momentum and experimentation into lasting impact. Discover how Het Facilitair Bedrijf laid the foundation for sustainable AI adoption, and why this journey is only just beginning.

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With the ArtI program, 500 employees gain their first real, hands-on AI experience

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How do you bring an entire organization along in a new way of working with AI without it becoming a purely technological experiment? At Het Facilitair Bedrijf, the internal service provider of the Flemish government, we chose a pragmatic and people-centred approach. Through the ArtI program, we guided more than 500 employees in their first concrete steps with generative AI and Copilot, while at the same time laying the foundations for sustainable AI governance and a future-proof roadmap.

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From broad awareness to tangible use cases and a stronger data foundation, the program became a catalyst for rethinking processes, knowledge sharing and data organization.

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“Since the introduction of Copilot (both M365 and Chat), we see that employees are really starting to work with it themselves… AI is no longer perceived as something distant, but as a practical tool everyone can use.”
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— Thymen Willemsen, Team TINT – Het Facilitair Bedrijf

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From awareness to momentum

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AI had already been on the radar at Het Facilitair Bedrijf, but the real challenge was adoption. How do you make sure AI doesn’t remain something for a small group of specialists, but becomes a widely supported tool for all teams? Together with Team TINT and the internal AI team, we opted for a three-track approach:

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1. Awareness and capability building

2. Discovery and prioritization of AI use cases

3. Governance and organizational anchoring

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This combination ensured that employees didn’t just learn about new tools but they also began to look differently at their work, their data and their processes.

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Track 1 — Awareness & knowledge: lowering the threshold, building curiosity

We started with an AI maturity assessment and report to clearly map the starting point of Het Facilitair Bedrijf. Not as a scoring exercise, but as a conversation tool: where is value already emerging, where are opportunities, and where is clarity needed?

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We then launched several initiatives to make AI awareness tangible:

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• a broadly accessible kickoff webinar
• an inspiration session for management
• community-building activities around questions and good practices
• hands-on “Get started with Copilot” sessions

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The sessions were enthusiastically received: employees discovered how Copilot could support their daily work: from drafting texts and analysing content to preparing reports and communication.

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“The barrier has clearly dropped, and people are discovering more and more concrete applications in their day-to-day tasks. It’s great to see how some colleagues proudly showcase their new use cases in Copilot.”

— Thymen Willemsen

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The result: AI became practical, recognizable and useful — not just a technology topic.

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Track 2 — Discovering AI use cases: from ideas to priorities

With that basis of awareness and engagement in place, we moved to the next step: identifying and shaping AI opportunities within Het Facilitair Bedrijf.

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During a series of discovery workshops, we gathered ideas from across the organization. We then helped teams translate each idea into a clearer picture: relevance, expected impact, required effort and dependencies.

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• cross-department discovery workshops
• identification and quantification of potential cases
• review by the AI working group
• prioritization based on impact and effort

This resulted in a portfolio of around twenty promising use cases, concrete enough to support decision-making, while still leaving room for exploration.

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One key insight stood out: AI readiness starts with data readiness.

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“Without well-organized data, you simply can’t build high-quality AI solutions. Garbage in = garbage out. Sometimes it’s better to start small and controlled with reliable data rather than unleashing AI on a large, unstructured dataset.”

— Thymen Willemsen

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We also saw that needs across departments were surprisingly similar: a sign that Het Facilitair Bedrijf knows its business well, and that AI can help make expertise easier to retrieve and reuse.

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Track 3 — Governance & change: from experimentation to sustainable adoption

AI adoption isn’t a one-off project. That’s why we worked in parallel on the organizational foundations within Het Facilitair Bedrijf:

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• establishing an AI working group
• initiating the translation of use cases into a roadmap
• guidance on governance, data management and change management

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This ensured that AI discussions were not just about tools, but about processes, collaboration and information management.

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“This program acted as a catalyst to critically review and optimize our data landscape. The way we handle data is a fundamental part of our processes, and AI has highlighted that even more. The conversation wasn’t just about technology, but about how we can organize ourselves smarter and more efficiently.”

— Thymen Willemsen

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That shift from technology to organizational improvement proved essential for building support at every level.

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Impact: from first successes to a future-oriented AI approach

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By the end of the ArtI program, Het Facilitair Bedrijf stands stronger in three key areas:

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1. Employees are working differently with AI

The threshold is gone, and experimentation is happening consciously and purposefully.

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2. The organization has a clear view of AI priorities

The AI working group now has a well-structured case portfolio to guide next decisions.

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3. Data awareness has been structurally reinforced

AI is seen as a lever to improve both processes and data organization.

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“Invest in AI now. Start with a few clear use cases that deliver quick value and involve employees from the beginning so adoption grows naturally. At the same time, dare to explore more complex cases — that’s how you build experience and prepare for the future.”

— Thymen Willemsen

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What this program teaches us

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This project shows how broad AI adoption can become when awareness, experimentation and governance move forward together:

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• AI only works when people trust it
• Small, concrete wins open the door to bigger transformations
• A strong data foundation makes the difference between hype and real value

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For Het Facilitair Bedrijf, this is not the end, but a solid starting point for the next chapter in their AI journey.

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