CEOs think workers are becoming hostile to AI tools, but they’re pushing ahead with adoption anyway

Software developer using AI tools on a desktop computer in an open plan office space. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Nearly half of CEOs believe their employees are becoming openly hostile to AI tools, but it's not slowing down adoption rates.

That's according to a survey by tech services company Kyndryl, which polled 1,000 executives to unpick how ready workforces were for the arrival of AI.

One of the key findings was that 45% of CEOs think that most of their employees are anti-AI — though just 8% of CTOs and CIOs believe employees are resistant to the technology.

"Preparing your workforce for the era of AI is easy to say, hard to do, and an urgent imperative for business leaders," said Maryjo Charbonnier, Chief Human Resources Officer at Kyndryl.

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Notably, executives disagreed on how to approach workforce readiness when it comes to AI adoption. Tech executives, such as CTOs, are far more focused on upskilling existing staff, with 80% favoring this strategy.

In contrast, four-in-ten CEOs said they are prioritizing hiring external talent to bolster skills in the technology.

No wonder then that 27% of CEOs believed fears of job displacement was a serious barrier to AI, with the same figure believing resistance to change would also slow AI adoption.

The report echoes research by IBM last year that suggested CEOs are pushing adoption of generative AI more quickly than workers are comfortable with.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of CEOs said they are accelerating AI adoption plans, but only 44% of respondents revealed they had “assessed the impact” of the technology on their workforce. This, the study warned, is creating a divide among executives and frontline staff.

Skills gaps limit success of AI tools

The Kyndryl research found 95% of companies have invested in AI in some way, but 71% of leadership say their workforces aren't ready to make best use of the technology, with 51% believing there's a skills gap.

That suggests that organizations are successfully investing in the technology side of AI, but lack full readiness because they've neglected the people side of the equation, said Michael Bradshaw, Global Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl.

"Only a small group of businesses have been able to harness AI successfully for business growth," Bradshaw commented.

"This report shows that while data architecture and technology infrastructure are key pieces of the puzzle, organizations that do not prioritize their workforces and organisations will miss out."

That said, the report noted that workforce readiness varies depending on sector or industry, led by financial services with healthcare trailing.

How businesses are using AI

While most companies surveyed had fully deployed AI in some way, just 35% said it was fully integrated across the organisation. A further 39% said it was in use in some areas while another 21% said AI implementations were still in early stages.

The report found that generative AI tools were the most popular form of the technology in business, used by nearly two-thirds of those surveyed, but they aren't necessarily being used for the biggest impact.

Just four-in-ten are targeting growth and while only 20% are developing new products or services.

Companies doing the most with AI, which the report referred to as AI Pacesetters, are three times more likely to have implemented a change management strategy, and nearly a third less to see concerns from staff about AI.

"The encouraging news is that organisations who can get alignment at the top are not only marching in the same direction, but are seeing the benefits of that alignment," said Kim Basile, Chief Information Officer at Kyndryl.

"This work isn’t easy, but aligning technology strategies with broader business goals is the top action leaders need to take to fully benefit from AI."