It already feels cliche—writing about how artificial intelligence is no longer a distant frontier and rather how it’s here in full force transforming how businesses across all industries and regions operate. Yet, here we are again. But this isn’t just about the perpetual hot-button topic that is AI. It’s about the need for a top-down approach to solving the AI skills gap.
We recently completed a survey tapping into business leaders across the US and UK—and it revealed a stark reality—many of these leaders are unprepared to confidently guide their organizations in the AI era. With pointed insights from directors to vice presidents (we polled 393 VPs in the US and directors/VPs in the UK from October 10–23, 2024), this survey uncovered critical gaps in AI training, policy awareness, and confidence, which if left unchecked, could all impact companies’ security, privacy, and competitiveness—in the short and long term.
Let’s break down the key survey findings—and what they mean for the future of leadership in the AI-fueled business landscape.
Leadership-level AI training is seemingly nonexistent
AI is often seen as the domain of IT departments, but leaders across all functions need foundational AI knowledge to make informed decisions. Alarmingly, 58% of executives have never attended an AI training or taken an AI course. This alone is a huge problem, as explained by our CEO Daniele Grassi:
Company leaders need to upskill for the AI era, too. Technical and non-technical leaders alike must understand the legal, privacy, and ethical implications of AI use. They need to know how to evaluate AI vendors, how to protect company data, and how to guide their teams on using AI in their work. Companies who don’t establish AI usage policies and upskill executives on AI face consequences ranging from data and privacy breaches to competitive disadvantage.
So, despite predicting AI will play a pivotal role on teams in the next decade, executives reported they lack the knowledge and skills to lead in the AI era. Less than half (42%) said they are very or extremely confident they know how to use AI tools without compromising company data—and more than a quarter (27%) said they are not very or not at all confident.
Additionally, nearly two in five (39%) said they don’t have the knowledge to make decisions when it comes to hiring vendors that use AI—though confidence in this aspect varies significantly when broken down across departments and functions—as well as countries:
- 79% of IT leaders feel equipped to evaluate AI vendors, while only 26% of finance and accounting executives feel the same
- 70% of UK executives said they had the knowledge to make a decision, compared to 59% of US executives
- Interesting to note, UK-based leaders were also more likely (53%) than their US counterparts (40%) to have taken an AI training
Why it matters: Leaders in both technical and non-technical roles need AI literacy to oversee vendor selection, integrate AI tools effectively, and safeguard company data.
Pro tip: Our four-hour AI for Leaders Workshop enhances technical and non-technical leaders’ understanding of AI and generative AI use cases and provides an introduction to prompt-writing techniques that bolster confidence in making decisions related to AI deployment. Additionally, it strategically addresses where GenAI can serve as a pivotal tool within your organization, guiding your team’s initial efforts toward the most valuable applications of AI.
AI policies are missing—or ignored
Nearly half (46%) of executives say their company lacks an AI usage policy, and 14% admit they haven’t familiarized themselves with the policies that do exist. The disparity is striking—large companies with over 10,000 employees are more likely to have policies (81%), while only 26% of small businesses with under 100 employees have them.
And even in organizations with established AI policies, awareness isn’t universal:
- 84% of IT executives were most likely to report their company had an AI usage policy, indicating a potential gap between policy existence and awareness across departments
- Still, 11% of IT executives said they hadn’t familiarized themselves with their company’s AI usage policy
- Finance and accounting executives were most likely to say their company had an AI usage policy, but they hadn’t familiarized themselves with it—with 21% confirming the statement
Why it matters: Without clear and enforced AI policies, organizations risk exposing themselves to legal, ethical, and data privacy vulnerabilities.
Pro tip: Need help creating an AI usage policy and getting your employees (including your leaders) onboard? We offer a variety of AI workshops to help leaders craft AI strategies that align with their organizational goals and employees from top to bottom understand how and why AI policies matter.
Lack of AI knowledge may be slowing adoption across the board
While 54% of leaders encourage their teams to use AI, less than half (47%) report their teams regularly do so. The gap is particularly wide in finance departments, where only 18% of leaders say their teams use AI—especially when compared to IT departments, with 71% of leaders reporting their teams are using AI in some capacity.
AI training also remains a stumbling block when it comes to overall adoption companywide, with only 16% of companies in the US, and only 20% in the UK, regularly offering AI training.
- Over half (54%) don’t offer any AI training at all
- 23% occasionally offer AI training
- 7% offer one-time AI training
Why it matters: Without sufficient training, employees may struggle to use AI tools effectively (or at all), leading to underutilization and missed opportunities.
Pro tip: Our customizable suite of enterprise tech training solutions can help you integrate in-demand skills—including AI education—across your organization, empowering teams to work smarter, not harder.
Leaders see their jobs as safe from AI—but employees aren’t so sure
Skills gaps aside, AI’s potential to disrupt the workforce isn’t lost on leaders, but it’s viewed as someone else’s problem. While only 26% of executives believe AI could replace their roles in the next decade, 79% think it’s likely to replace some of their employees’ jobs.
- Only 7% believe it could replace all their employees
- 16% say it could replace half their employees
Interestingly, perceptions about AI vary widely by generation, confirmed by another recent survey we completed. Younger workers feel the heat: 62% of Gen Z employees worry AI could replace their roles, compared to just 24% of Baby Boomers.
Why it matters: Leaders may underestimate AI’s broader implications for their teams. A forward-thinking approach requires not only recognizing where AI fits, but also preparing employees to thrive alongside it.
Pro tip: Upskilling employees for the AI era is critical. Our tailored AI training programs can help your team understand and embrace this powerful technology.
The takeaway: Upskilling is key to AI success
We don’t really have to say it, but we will anyway—AI is here to stay.
Businesses that fail to adapt risk falling behind. From crafting AI usage policies to upskilling employees and leaders alike, it’s essential to invest in strategies that make the most of this transformative technology.
Want to future-proof your leadership team and workforce? Explore how we can help your organization thrive in the AI era.