The latest L&D news, reports, research and updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook. This week: Why HR lags on AI, the skills employers really prize, Britain’s huge £69bn opportunity, Gen Z’s AI guilt, weaker workplace connection, job interview barriers for neurodiverse talent, and governance’s growing strategic clout today.
Microsoft bets on humans to scale AI
Microsoft introduced a new operating business on Thursday as it seeks to provide enterprises with the expertise needed to deploy and integrate AI. The company is investing $2.5 billion into Microsoft Frontier Company, an effort that will embed 6,000 industry and engineering experts to codesign, co-innovate, deploy and improve AI systems with customers. While the program is meant to accelerate AI initiatives, it’s also recognition that AI integration cannot succeed without humans in the enterprise.
UK regulator publishes ‘landmark’ AI review
A “landmark review” by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) describes artificial intelligence (AI) as a “defining force” that will change financial services to consumers, but one that could “amplify risks”. Announced in January, The Mills Review into the impact AI could have on consumers, finance firms and regulators in the future has now been published.
The review, which was carried out by FCA director Sheldon Mills, was announced shortly after a Treasury Committee warned in January that financial regulators’ current approach to AI is exposing the UK public and the country’s financial system “to potential serious harm”.
Blind spots in human-AI teamwork pose serious risks, warns Talogy’s Chief Scientist
The highest performing organisations of the future will be defined by their ability to understand, measure and develop the human capabilities that make AI work. Global talent management experts Talogy are introducing a science-backed model designed to identify and eliminate those critical blind spots in human-AI teamwork.
Talogy’s new Human AI Collaboration Model combines insights from I/O psychology, human factors, cognitive science and educational psychology to map an individual’s natural potential for AI collaboration, how well they work with AI and if it strengthens their skills and outcomes or erodes their capabilities over time.
The trust gap: What consumers want AI companies to fix
Here is a number that should be stapled to the desk of every AI product manager alive: 91% of adults believe companies should be legally required to disclose when they use AI in customer service, product recommendations, or content creation. Not ‘prefer.’ Not ‘would appreciate.’ Legally required.
86% of adults believe that brands saving money through AI should lower their prices. This is the most rational finding in the survey and the most ignored one in corporate AI strategy.
HR is still ‘experimenting at the margins’ on AI, report says
HR is still adapting to artificial intelligence rather than taking the lead on redesigning the workflow around AI, according to a report released by the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp). After surveying more than 1,300 business and HR leaders worldwide, i4cp researchers determined that even though workplaces are moving past “isolated AI use cases,” AI implementation is still a “series of disconnected experiments,” according to a Tuesday statement.
Which skills will matter the most in the next five years?
In the age of artificial intelligence, “the most valuable professionals will be those who can combine AI capabilities with distinctly human strengths,” according to a by the Graduate Management Admission Council.
According to the 600 global recruiters surveyed by GMAC, employers anticipate that AI tool-related skills and strategic thinking will be the most important skills for business school graduates in the next five years — but many professionals struggle to demonstrate capabilities in these areas.
UK could unlock £69.1bn by 2030 if creative skills keep pace with AI
The UK could unlock up to £69.1bn in economic growth by 2030 by accelerating the development of future-ready creative and digital skills in advertising and marketing, according to a major new study from Publicis Media UK.
The study underlines the value at stake if skills do not keep pace with technological change. Currently, this sits at £10.9bn a year, equivalent to losing almost £29m every day. Without investing in human-AI capability, the figure is projected to rise by 40% by 2030 to £15.2bn a year under business-as-usual conditions. This is comparable to losing the annual economic output of a major UK city such as Newcastle.
Half of Gen Z workers report AI guilt despite rising demand for AI skills
A new workplace trend is emerging for Gen Z employees: “AI Guilt”, where younger workers increasingly see AI literacy as essential to their careers, but do not yet feel they have clear permission for using it openly at work. New data from Employment Hero, the global AI-powered employment platform, reveals that 50% of Gen Z workers feel guilty using AI to produce work, while 52% say using AI to do parts of their job feels like cheating.
Watercooler moments are fading, and meetings are left to carry workplace connection
Meetings are increasingly becoming the primary point of interaction between colleagues in the workplace, according to new research from Kahoot!, which suggests that traditional informal “watercooler” conversations are fading as hybrid and digital working patterns become more established.
The findings indicate that structured meetings are now often the only consistent space where employees engage with colleagues beyond their immediate teams, potentially limiting the ability of workforces to build connections among employees.
66% of neurodiverse jobseekers cite interviews as a barrier to employment – Pertemps
Interviews were the biggest barrier for neurodiverse jobseekers, according to research by recruiter Pertemps Network Group. The survey, which ran on LinkedIn during Neurodiversity Celebration Week, found that 66% of respondents said interviews were the hardest part of getting a job.
Job attraction and advertising were seen as moderately challenging by 14%, career progression by 12% and onboarding by 8%.
Governance professionals are playing an increasingly influential role in how organisations are run
The research shows that the traditional perception of the company secretary as primarily responsible for board papers, minutes and compliance no longer reflects the reality of the role. Governance professionals are increasingly trusted advisers to boards and executive teams, supporting the quality of information on which decisions are made, succession planning, organisational change and stakeholder expectations.
Two-thirds (66%) of survey respondents said supporting board information quality and decision-making is becoming more important, while 59% identified board and executive succession planning as an area of growing responsibility. Half (50%) said AI literacy for boards is becoming more important, underlining the widening scope of the governance remit.
Employers and training providers need to develop the digital workforce skills needed to meet future demand
Digital capability is now a strategic priority for organisations across every sector. As employers continue to invest in workforce skills to improve productivity, embrace new technologies and address skills shortages, apprenticeships are playing an increasingly important role in developing talent at every level.
Apprenticeship assessment continues to evolve, with employers and providers seeking experienced partners that can respond quickly to changing standards and growing demand for digital skills.
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