Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, institutions and daily life and driving profound digital change in business and society. From automating processes to improving decision-making, AI systems are increasingly embedded in complex environments, but their adoption remains controversial and raises questions about fairness, accountability and public acceptance. Soccer provides an impressive case study for AI-enabled change. The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has fundamentally changed the sport. Although VAR has been proven to improve accuracy and reduce human error, it has sparked fierce debate, protests and opposition from players, fans and officials. High-profile incidents such as the controversial VAR decisions at EURO 2024 show the challenges of integrating AI into highly human-dominated areas. In business and society, the introduction of AI faces similar resistance, leaving organizations to deal with the challenges of trust, transparency and governance. This presentation will explore how lessons from VAR implementation can be applied to AI transformation in other domains and highlight key factors influencing public perception, adoption and ethical AI governance.