Report: Most Organizations Are Preparing Workers for Today's AI, Not Tomorrow's

As AI reshapes work, most organizations remain focused on helping employees grow in their current roles rather than preparing them for the jobs of the future, according to new research from The Conference Board.

The report finds that while many organizations are investing in AI literacy and current-role upskilling, few are preparing workers for the reskilling that AI-driven workforce transformation will require. Yet AI is already disrupting tasks, reshaping jobs, and creating new reskilling demands, leaving many organizations unprepared for the next phase of AI adoption.

Based on interviews with 35 enterprise leaders and a global survey of nearly 1,300 workers, the report also reveals that formal AI training is struggling to keep pace with adoption. While 55% of workers regularly use AI, only one-third (33%) have participated in employer-provided AI training during the past six months. Nearly one-third (28%) say their employer provides no AI training at all, while fewer than half believe their organizations provide sufficient time (48%) or tools, access, and resources (48%) to develop AI skills.

“Many organizations have made progress introducing employees to AI, but AI literacy alone will not create business value,” said Matt Rosenbaum, Principal Researcher, Human Capital, The Conference Board. “The organizations that benefit most from AI will be those that help employees apply AI effectively in their work, continuously develop new capabilities, and adapt as technology and business needs evolve.”

AI use is growing faster than formal AI training.

• More than half of workers (55.1%) use generative AI or AI agents daily or weekly.
• Only 33.3% have used organization-provided AI training during the past six months.
• Nearly one-third of workers (28.3%) say their organization does not provide AI training at all.

Most organizations focus on foundational AI skills for employees, not more advanced capabilities.

• Many organizations emphasize AI literacy and basic prompting techniques.
• Far fewer are helping workers develop advanced capabilities such as managing AI agents, integrating AI into workflows, or applying AI to strategic business challenges.
• This creates a growing gap between what AI technologies can do and what employees are prepared to do with them.

Employees often lack the time and support needed to develop AI skills.

• Only 48.0% of workers agree that their organization provides sufficient time during work hours for AI skills development.
• Only 47.6% agree they have sufficient tools, access, and resources to build AI capabilities.
• Leaders report that developing critical AI skills requires more than training access. It requires dedicated time, hands-on experience, and managerial support.

“Employees are far more optimistic about AI when they believe their organization will help them adapt as technology evolves,” said Marion Devine, Principal Researcher, Human Capital, Europe, The Conference Board. “Building that confidence requires giving people the time, support, and opportunities to develop new skills as work changes.”

Traditional learning approaches are not sufficient for AI upskilling and reskilling.

• Organizations are increasingly combining formal learning, social learning, and experiential learning to build AI capabilities.
• Workers report high value from multiple training formats.
• Leaders stress that hands-on experimentation and practical application are critical for successful AI adoption.

Organizations need enterprise-wide learning and adoption ecosystems.

• Effective AI workforce development requires alignment across strategy, governance, learning, workflow redesign, culture, and skills measurement.
• AI skilling efforts are most successful when connected directly to business goals and supported across functions including HR, learning and development, technology, legal, and business units.
• AI capabilities should be reinforced throughout the employee life cycle, from talent acquisition to performance management, and upskilled and reskilled workers should be rewarded.
• Organizations that focus only on training rather than business outcomes risk limiting AI’s impact.

Most organizations are not yet preparing for large-scale reskilling needs.

• Training investments remain heavily focused on upskilling current roles.
• Organizations that wait to develop the capabilities needed for the more intensive reskilling and redeployment of employees until disruption becomes widespread may struggle to adapt.
• Employees who trust their organizations to help them adapt to AI are much more likely to expect AI to improve their job.

To prepare their organizations for AI-driven transformation, CHROs and business leaders should:

• Focus on developing applied capabilities that improve business outcomes, not just AI literacy.
• Provide employees with time, tools, and opportunities to learn AI skills through hands-on experience.
• Build learning architectures that combine formal, social, and experiential learning.
• Align AI skilling efforts with business strategy and establish clear ownership for outcomes.
• Begin preparing now for future reskilling needs rather than waiting until workforce disruption becomes widespread.
• Strengthen employee confidence that the organization will help workers adapt as AI technologies continue to evolve.

“The organizations that navigate AI successfully will be the ones that treat workforce transformation as a leadership priority,” said Diana Scott, US Human Capital Center Leader, The Conference Board. “CHROs have an opportunity to bring together business leaders, technology teams, and learning functions around a shared strategy for developing the capabilities the organization will need next.”

About The Conference Board

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