A recent report by enterprise tech firm Kyndryl reveals that nearly half of CEOs say their employees are resistant — or even hostile — to artificial intelligence in the workplace. Despite 95% of companies investing in AI, only 14% have aligned their workforce strategies with their tech and growth objectives.
The report identifies three major barriers to successful AI adoption: poor organizational change management, a lack of employee trust, and significant workforce skill gaps. About 70% of surveyed business and tech leaders admitted their employees aren’t ready to leverage AI effectively, while 50% acknowledged a shortage of talent with the right skills to manage AI tools.
“Only a small group of businesses have been able to harness AI successfully for business growth,” said Michael Bradshaw, Global Practice Leader for Applications, Data, and AI at Kyndryl. He emphasized the importance of putting workforce alignment at the core of AI strategies.
Industries like banking, financial services, and insurance reported the highest levels of AI preparedness, while healthcare lagged behind. The top-performing organizations, labeled as “AI pacesetters,” are tackling adoption challenges head-on. These companies were three times more likely to have robust change management strategies and were 29% less likely to report concerns about AI affecting employee engagement. Furthermore, they showed stronger capabilities in tracking employee skills and experienced fewer skills-related challenges.
However, a separate study by the Adecco Group suggests that only 10% of companies are “future-ready,” with structured plans to support workforce development and AI transition. While most businesses still expect employees to adapt independently, future-ready firms focus on structured, skills-based workforce planning to navigate AI disruption effectively.
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Source: Hrdive.com
