Ep 79 - Getting Your Team to Use ChatGPT: Real Lessons from Bill Gross of the Nuclear Energy Institute

n this episode, Cary talks with Bill Gross, CIO of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). Bill shares the story of how his CEO tasked him with preparing their 100+ person organization for an AI-powered future. With a background in computer science but little hands-on AI experience, Bill dove headfirst into learning—and then teaching—ChatGPT use cases across NEI. They dig into OpenAI's "Projects" feature, how NEI structures AI training, and the cultural shifts that come with rolling out a new technology at scale.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Projects in ChatGPT are game-changing: Bill highlights how uploading shared context files to a Project makes it easy to run multiple threads with consistent knowledge, offering more dynamic support than Custom GPTs alone.

• Champion programs work—but need structure: NEI's internal "JEDAI" champions (cute, right?) helped spread AI adoption, but Bill notes the importance of setting clear expectations and ensuring they get leadership support and time to follow through.

• Start at the top: Bill prioritized executive buy-in, doing hands-on ChatGPT sessions with leadership early on, which paid off by fostering a culture of experimentation and support from the highest levels.

👤 About Bill Gross

Bill Gross is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Nuclear Energy Institute, where he's leading the charge to integrate AI tools—especially ChatGPT—across the organization. With a technical background and a fresh curiosity about modern AI, he's become both a student and a teacher, guiding NEI's staff through training, use-case discovery, and cultural change. Bill's practical approach—focused on upskilling, real-world applications, and cross-team collaboration—offers a blueprint for any organization trying to responsibly and effectively adopt AI tools.

If you want to connect with Bill, you can reach him by email at wrg@nei.org.

Cary offers customized one-on-one ChatGPT training in 60 minute sessions. Find out more information on the sessions, answers to frequent questions, and how to register at www.ChatGPTExperiment.com

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MUSIC CREDITS The instrumental music used in this podcast is called "Curious" by Podington Bear".