A recent General Assembly survey reveals a strong surge in HR Teams Use AI, with 82% of HR professionals using the technology at work. Yet, only 30% have received comprehensive, job-specific AI training, exposing a significant skills gap within human resources departments.

While 69% of HR professionals report AI gives them more time for strategic work, and 41% say it reduces their hours, many still learn AI tools on their own. This lack of targeted training affects confidence and overall effectiveness in applying AI for HR tasks.

“AI is reshaping the workplace,” said Daniele Grassi, CEO at the General Assembly. “But to use it effectively, every HR team must receive proper AI upskilling. When trained for specific roles, HR teams become 35% more confident in their AI abilities.”

HR professionals commonly use AI for:

  • Analyzing employee feedback (46%)
  • Writing job descriptions (46%)
  • Designing training materials (45%)

However, formal AI training for HR professionals remains inconsistent:

  • 18% received basic concept training without applications
  • 12% got generic AI training not suited for HR
  • 14% pursued AI education independently
  • 26% have had no formal AI training

The gap is most visible among Gen Z HR professionals, with 38% receiving no training. In healthcare, 32% of HR teams lack AI training, while those in finance (39%) and professional services (46%) are more likely to have received job-specific training.

Confidence clearly improves with relevant training—85% of those with job-focused AI training say they feel very or completely confident in using AI.

What HR professionals want from AI training:

  • 70% seek interactive workshops for real HR use cases
  • 63% want continuous updates as AI tools evolve
  • 59% of non-users say they’d start if given hands-on, HR-specific training

They’re most eager to use AI for:

  • Workforce planning (47%)
  • Training material design (46%)
  • Employee communications (42%)

Interestingly, mandating AI use may hurt adoption. 41% of HR professionals at companies requiring AI say it adds more work. In contrast, only 13% say the same at companies that simply encourage AI use.

Only 6% of HR professionals cite leadership pressure as their motivation to adopt AI. Instead, they aim to boost productivity, improve output, and reduce workloads through smart, role-relevant AI tools.

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News Source: Businesswire.com