A growing divide in AI readiness between senior leaders and employees is emerging in UK workplaces, according to a new report.
While HR leaders express confidence in their organisations’ ability to adopt AI, many employees feel unprepared, raising concerns about training gaps and digital transformation efforts.
Corndel’s 2025 Workplace Training Report found that 88 percent of HR leaders are confident in their leadership’s ability to implement AI and 60 percent believe training programmes are equipping employees with the necessary skills for digital transformation. However, just 39 percent of employees report receiving AI training, despite 97 percent of HR leaders stating their organisations provide it.
While 71 percent of middle managers actively use AI in their daily work, 52 percent of employees have never used AI tools. Among younger employees, 74 percent use AI regularly, but only 52 percent have received formal training and just 14 percent rate this training as highly effective. As a result, one-third of UK employees feel unprepared to adopt AI within the next one to three years.
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Leadership Knowledge Gap in AI Adoption
Senior leaders’ limited hands-on experience with AI could be contributing to the disconnect. The report found that 48 percent of senior leaders have never used an AI tool, compared to 29 percent of middle managers. This lack of direct experience may be a factor in leaders overestimating AI’s benefits. According to PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey, 34 percent of CEOs reported profitability improvements from AI adoption – lower than the 46 percent who had anticipated such outcomes.
Sean Cosgrove, Chief Commercial Officer at Corndel, said, “Many senior leaders are being asked to set AI strategies without hands-on experience of the tools themselves. The National Data Strategy has already flagged the gap in leadership-level data skills, which extends to AI. Leaders don’t just need a vision for AI adoption – they need a real understanding of the skills their workforce requires. For many, even foundational AI skills like crafting effective prompts for generative AI are missing. That’s a gap we need to close.”
The report also found that many organisations focus training efforts on technical teams or senior leadership rather than the broader workforce. However, 88 percent of employees using generative AI work in non-technical roles, such as customer service and management – meaning those most likely to rely on AI receive the least training.
The Need for a Strategic Approach to AI Readiness
Corndel’s research suggests that organisations prioritising AI literacy across all functions are 2.5 times more likely to invest in reskilling and upskilling, leading to improved efficiency and revenue gains.
“Our research shows that leadership teams are confident in their AI strategies, but many employees don’t feel prepared to keep up. Without the right training, AI adoption stalls before it even starts. Organisations must take a more strategic approach to AI skills development—reaching beyond technical teams to the workforce,” said Cosgrove.
Corndel is urging businesses to take a structured approach to AI training by upskilling leaders and addressing critical skills gaps.
