Only 23% of Employees Feel Trained on AI. Here’s How to Build a Truly AI-Ready Workforce 

Most Companies Skip the Critical Step: AI Training for Employees  

Your team has new AI tools. But can they actually use them? 

Only 23% of employees feel fully trained on AI tools. 

Leaders think differently. 72% believe their teams have adequate AI training for employees. That gap creates friction, wasted investment, and inconsistent results. 

The Gender Training Gap Is Major and Often Overlooked 

The report uncovered a striking difference: 

• 66% of men feel adequately trained 
• While only 44% of women say the same 

For HR and operations teams, this means AI training programs must be inclusive, accessible, and tailored for different comfort levels and job roles. 

This gap doesn’t suggest lower capability though, it highlights how current AI training approaches often favor confidence over clarity, and experimentation over support. 

Why Employees Don’t Feel Trained 

In reality, lack of training is just one part of the broader AI adoption challenge. It often compounds two other issues: lack of transparency and fear of getting it wrong. 

Most employees want to use AI. They just don’t know: 

• What tasks AI can help with 
• How to prompt effectively 
• Where AI may introduce risk 
• What’s acceptable in their workflow 
• When AI’s answers can be trusted 

When you don’t answer these questions, employees default to minimal use cases or avoid AI altogether. 

What AI Readiness Looks Like In Practice 

AI-ready organizations don’t just deploy tools — they change how people work. 

Companies with strong AI readiness have: 

• Clear policies and guidelines 
• Training that covers workflows, not theory 
• AI tools embedded in daily work (not separate platforms) 
• Leaders modeling strong AI adoption 
• Transparent communication about data accuracy and risk 
• Psychological safety around experimenting 

Right now, only a small percentage of organizations meet this bar. 

How to Build an AI Training Program That Works 

1. Start with real workflows, not abstract concepts: Teach employees how to use AI on their own tasks, not hypothetical ones. 
2. Build training by role: Designers, marketers, analysts, and support teams each need different training. 
3. Create ongoing learning, not one-and-done workshops: AI evolves fast. Training should too. 
4. Give employees embedded AI in their work tools: when AI is built directly into planning, discussions, and execution, employees learn how to use it naturally as part of their daily work — not through extra training sessions.  
    
   Tools like Slingshot support this with AI-powered summaries, action-item extraction, and data insights. 

The Bottom Line 

Employees aren’t resisting AI — they don’t feel equipped. 

The companies investing in AI training for employees will pull ahead. 

View the full Digital Work Trends Report

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