of enterprises will have used GenAI interfaces or deployed GenAI-enabled applications by 2026.¹
of marketers cite lack of education and training as the top barrier they face to AI adoption.²
of managers say AI training or upskilling will become a key responsibility for their teams within five years.³
Even though companies recognize the need for AI skills, many struggle to implement effective learning strategies. We see three key challenges slowing progress.
AI is a complex, cross-functional tool. It doesn’t fit neatly into one department’s responsibility. Should AI training be led by technical teams? The C-suite? L&D? Many organizations lack a central team to set guiding principles, leading to confusion and inaction.
The term “AI” means different things to different people, and this makes it difficult to discuss and apply effectively. With AI spanning multiple roles and disciplines, many people are unsure how to get up to speed, much less teach about it.
Even when AI skills training is available, not everyone sees the value. Learners who don’t understand how AI applies to their work will not engage, making adoption difficult.
The first step is building foundational AI knowledge. People often need to see tangible examples of AI in action, develop a shared vocabulary, and understand where AI already shows up in their daily work.
Once teams have awareness, the next step is hands-on skill-building. This can include setting AI principles and guidelines, and learning how to partner with AI tools, such as through prompt engineering, and recognizing AI’s role in specific job functions.
The final stage is about scaling AI adoption. This means strategically deploying AI in workflows, championing success stories to build organizational momentum, and empowering others through education, expanding AI fluency across teams.
¹. Gartner Newsroom. Gartner Says More Than 80% of Enterprises Will Have Used Generative AI APIs or Deployed Generative AI-Enabled Applications by 2026. October 11, 2023. Accessed February 23, 2024.
². Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute; SmarterX. 2025 State of Marketing AI Report. Marketing AI Institute; 2025.
³.Microsoft Corporation. 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report: The Year the Frontier Firm Is Born. Microsoft; 2025. Accessed May 26, 2025.
