Over just two years, employee AI usage surged by 337%. AI operational and hardware costs are falling while performance and energy efficiency are getting better, continuously lowering barriers to adoption. From automating processes to transforming customer service, companies are exploring how AI can drive value across industries.
But here’s a big red flag for employers: 79% of workers are unprepared to use AI at work.
The real question for companies is no longer if you should support AI learning. Companies need to know how to do it effectively, intentionally, and in alignment with your business goals. Without employer-led training, the AI readiness gap is accelerating. To close this alarming gap, upskilling and reskilling must be core components of your talent strategy.
TL;DR: AI adoption is accelerating, but 65% of employees have received no AI training. This blog explores why the readiness gap matters, how it’s impacting different roles, and how education benefits like EdAssist can help companies reskill and upskill at scale.
Why is workforce readiness lagging behind AI adoption?
The accelerating skills gap from AI adoption is leading to disruption across the workplace and job market. Stanford found that 78% of organizations reported using AI in 2024, and McKinsey reported that 92% of companies plan to increase AI investments by 2028.
This surge is forcing US workers to brace for rapid role shifts and rising pressures, especially as up to 30% of current work hours may be automated by 2030.
Here’s what 2,000 workers told us about AI in the workplace in the 2025 Education Index:- 79% of employees feel unprepared to use AI at work.
- 65% say their employer hasn’t provided any AI training.
- 42% of employees actively want AI training from their organization.
A big problem in workforce development is how many employees haven’t received any AI training at work. The large workforce readiness gap is slowing down progress and increasing the risk of disruption for all companies.
In this on-demand webinar, The AI Wake-Up Call: Reskill or Risk Irrelevance, we shared insights from our research and revealed what today’s employees truly want, and need, to thrive in an AI-enabled world.
Which roles are most impacted by AI in the workplace?
The broadening access to AI is expected to create 19 million jobs and displace 9 million jobs, for a net gain of 10 million jobs that employees aren’t ready for. That leaves companies not moving fast enough at risk of irrelevance.
No matter the industry, three things are clear:
- AI is reshaping roles now (not in 3-5 years).
- Workforce education is the key to AI adaptation and advancement.
- Smart companies are already taking action with education benefits.
From entry-level to executive, recognizing how to approach different roles is key to building a responsive and effective workforce strategy to AI disruption. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work because AI doesn’t impact all jobs the same way.
Entry-level roles are most at risk for automation (think: call center reps, data processors, medical coders). These roles benefit from reskilling, shifting workers into more strategic, tech-enabled positions.
Mid-level professionals (like marketing project managers or clinical team leads) are being augmented by AI. They need to learn how to use AI to optimize tasks like analytics, project management, or patient coordination.
Senior leaders must now guide teams through AI transformation. They’re not immune to change. In fact, their ability to lead with a tech-forward mindset is more critical than ever.
While AI adoption surges, the workforce readiness gap continues to widen. Organizations that delay action risk falling behind, while those that embrace intentional, role-specific AI learning strategies will gain a powerful competitive edge. Employees are hungry to learn, so understanding your AI strategy will help you prepare your workers for where work is going.
65% of employees say they haven’t received any AI training. Watch this on-demand webinar to uncover the data, strategies, and role-based solutions for the AI skills gap.
Why education benefits are the path to AI advancement
AI is transforming every role, and education benefits ensure that employees have the tools and support to move forward confidently. 79% of employees feel pressure to learn new skills and stay competitive, but 34% feel unprepared for the changes AI may bring to their jobs. That’s why companies like Comcast NBCUniversal are already offering no-cost AI and cybersecurity certifications to employees at every level.
Retailers like McDonald’s and Papa John’s are expanding education benefits to their hourly workers to fuel retention and internal mobility because if your AI strategy fails on the frontline, it fails everywhere.
These leading organizations are already addressing the missing link in most AI strategies: education benefits. When you invest in AI education, you can retain and re-engage talent that might otherwise feel at risk while building internal AI fluency and future-ready teams.
Our research from the 2025 Education Index shows that 42% of American workers expect AI will have a drastic change in their role within the next year. But even in high-adoption industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and tech, MIT researchers found that AI only has the capability to perform tasks currently done by about 12% of the American workforce. That means there’s still time to lead and adapt, but only if you act with intention.
What are examples of reskilling or upskilling for AI job changes?
When we look at how AI is reshaping the workforce, companies can deliver custom, scalable learning pathways to either reskill at-risk roles into future-proof positions and upskill existing talent in augmented roles with evolving demands.
If you already have education benefits with EdAssist, you already have a powerful tool. Now, you just need to activate your education benefits to drive AI transformation. With the EdAssist benefit, we take two strategic approaches to help companies align learning with AI strategy:
Reskilling Example with EdAssist
First, focus on roles that are at risk of becoming obsolete due to automation. These are often entry-level, but not exclusively. For these roles, the EdAssist benefit provides a reskilling bridge to help your employees pivot into new, in-demand roles by acquiring entirely new skill sets. So instead of managing a process, employees can be reskilled to learn how to run the AI agent that automates the process.
Since there will be a critical shortage of 100,000+ healthcare workers by 2028, let’s start with a reskilling example in healthcare. Take the role of a Medical Coding Specialist as a position that may be increasingly automated in the coming years. But that doesn’t mean the talent behind it is any less valuable. These individuals have deep knowledge of healthcare systems, terminology, and compliance.
Through the EdAssist benefit, we can create a reskilling pathway that helps them transition into a more advanced role—like becoming a Registered Health Information Technologist. It’s a shift from task-based work to a more strategic, tech-enabled position that’s aligned with the future of healthcare.
Upskilling Example with EdAssist
Second, address roles that are being augmented by AI, but not replaced. These are typically mid-level or specialized roles where AI enhances how work gets done and provides an opportunity for role expansion. For these roles, EdAssist supports upskilling opportunities by helping employees build on their existing capabilities to stay relevant and thrive in a tech-enabled environment.
A great example of upskilling is the Registered Nurse (RN). This role isn’t going away, but it is evolving. Nurses already bring critical thinking, empathy, and clinical expertise. As AI tools become more integrated into patient care and diagnostics, nurses will need to build new competencies like data literacy, digital health tools, and care coordination in tech-enabled environments.
How does EdAssist’s practical framework solve this AI risk?
Your workforce is asking for AI training. Are you ready to respond? The EdAssist education benefit helps organizations build scalable, sustainable AI upskilling programs that align learning with business goals. Through a collaborative process and decades of experience, we partner with clients to align their workforce strategy with AI learning needs.
Our strategic consulting team works closely with you to:
- Assess: Identify how AI will impact your roles, workflows, and skill needs
- Plan: Design tailored learning paths for different job levels and departments
- Transform: Implement education programs that are flexible, measurable, and built to evolve
The framework we use is intentionally simple but built to drive real impact. Our vast education network of trusted providers helps us custom match your employees with the right programs to solve your current and future skills gaps. Whether you need technical training or durable skills like adaptability, critical thinking, and digital literacy, we can build a sustainable and scalable AI workforce education that meets your unique needs.
Don’t wait to get started. Schedule a free workforce AI readiness assessment with our team and see how EdAssist can help you activate your AI strategy.
