In a recent survey, 58% of vice presidents and directors in the U.S. and U.K. said they’ve never attended an artificial intelligence training or course, according to a Dec. 10 report from technology training firm General Assembly.
In addition, only 42% said they’re very or extremely confident they know how to use AI tools without compromising company data, and 27% said they’re not very or not at all confident. When it comes to hiring vendors that use AI, 39% said they don’t have the knowledge to make decisions.
“Company leaders need to upskill for the AI era, too,” Daniele Grassi, CEO of General Assembly, said in a statement.
“Technical and non-technical leaders alike must understand the legal, privacy and ethical implications of AI use,” Grassi said. “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.”
In an October survey of 393 vice presidents and directors in the U.S. and U.K., 46% said their company doesn’t have an AI usage policy.
In addition, 79% said AI could replace some of their employees in the next 10 years, and 26% said AI could replace their jobs as well. A previous report from General Assembly found 62% of Generation Z workers think AI could replace them, compared with just 24% of baby boomers.
Although 54% of leaders said they encourage their teams to use AI, lack of understanding or training could hamper adoption, General Assembly reported. Only 47% said their team uses AI regularly, and 16% said their company regularly offers AI training to employees.
To prepare for an AI-driven future in the workplace, employers must prepare workers by upskilling them, according to a report from The Adecco Group. Although three-quarters of workers using AI-based tools said they’re more productive, only a quarter of overall workers said they’ve received training about AI use at work.
As part of the AI learning curve, leaders should create opportunities for employees to experiment, an automation executive told CFO Dive. Employers can set aside time for workers to identify opportunities for AI use in the company and test them, even before the technology may be ready for “prime time,” she said.
Ensuring access to training is also crucial, especially as a divide appears to be growing between those who benefit from AI at work, according to a Cypher Learning survey. For instance, younger workers, men and senior management were more likely to say they use and experiment with AI, while older workers, women and clerical or physical workers were less likely to say so.
