Nearly nine in 10 (88 per cent) of global employers agree artificial intelligence will require their workforce to develop new skills and rank human capabilities such as adaptability, leadership and change management as the most critical drivers of success in the next three years, according to a new survey by Aon.
The survey, which polled more than 2,300 employers in more than 60 global markets, found while 73 per cent of organizations have already deployed or are piloting AI programs, only 18 per cent said most of their workforce has participated in AI reskilling or upskilling programs in the past year. The gap is most visible where AI strategies are advanced in isolation — without clear alignment to business objectives, operating models or the workforce capabilities required to deliver them.
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Only 28 per cent of organizations said they’ve hired employees with AI expertise, underscoring a continued reliance on developing talent from within. While eight in 10 (80 per cent) organizations cite automating routine tasks as a primary objective for AI, only 35 per cent prioritize workforce upskilling and reskilling.
The survey also found 84 per cent of employers said human strengths will become more important as automation increases and 37 per cent identified future workforce skills gaps as their top concern over the next five to 10 years.
“The winners in the application of AI will lead with world-class people strategies,” said Greg Case, president and chief executive officer of Aon, in a press release. “AI represents a historic opportunity for growth, particularly for organizations that approach transformation by integrating people and technology — so they evolve in lockstep. By closing the gap between ambition and readiness, leaders can act with confidence, strengthen long‑term resilience and win today and in the future.”
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