General Assembly research found 58% of vice presidents and directors in the US and UK received no AI training; many lack confidence to make AI-related decisions

Most vice presidents and directors (58%) have never attended an artificial intelligence (AI) training or course, a study by General Assembly, a tech training and talent solutions provider, found. Nearly half (46%) said their company has no AI usage policy.

While only 26% of executives think there’s a chance AI could replace their jobs in the next ten years, a significant majority (79%) said AI could likely replace some of the employees who work for them. A separate study found that 62% of Gen Z think there’s a chance AI could replace them, compared to 24% of Baby Boomers, 44% of Gen X and 50% of Millennials.

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.

“Company leaders need to upskill for the AI era, too,” said Daniele Grassi, CEO of General Assembly. “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.”

While most leaders (54%) said they personally encourage their teams to use AI, their lack of understanding may hamper adoption. Less than half (47%) said their team uses AI regularly–and only 16% said their company regularly offers AI training to employees.

General Assembly surveyed 393 vice presidents in the US and directors in the UK from October 10 to 23, 2024. Additional insights from the survey can be found here.

Learn more about how General Assembly can help you build an AI-aligned leadership team and develop the skills needed for AI transformation across your workforce.

About General Assembly

General Assembly (GA) is the leading talent and upskilling community that helps individuals and businesses acquire the real skills required to succeed in an increasingly complex technological era. Founded in 2011 to make tech-centric jobs accessible to anyone and meet the demand of fast-growing tech companies, GA evolved into a center of excellence in training people from all backgrounds to upgrade their practical knowledge of tech skills now required in every company and in any role. With a global presence, hands-on instruction, and a passionate alumni community, GA gives learners 360-degree support as they take the next step in their career journey. As part of the Adecco Group and partner of premier talent solutions provider LHH, GA matches the right talent to business needs. All day, every day: GA puts real skills to work.

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