Businesses have been told the ability to embed artificial intelligence into their operations will require both clarity and effective training as human capabilities remains vital to success.

As the pace of AI adoption speeds up across the world, organizations are ramping up their investments into AI training and enablement for employees.

Global insurance broking group, Gallagher has published the results of its third annual AI Adoption and Risk Survey of more than 1,200 global businesses.

It found in the last year, nearly two thirds of global businesses (62%) have already delivered AI training to employees, while more than half (55%) have hired for AI-focused roles.

Governance is also becoming a key priority, with 56% of organizations already communicating their AI strategy to employees. However, many businesses are still behind on implementing governance frameworks to guide how their employees should use AI in the workplace.

Over two-fifths (43%) of organizations are yet to introduce formal AI risk management frameworks, highlighting a considerable gap between adoption and oversight. In addition, only 44% have conducted AI impact assessments related to AI use.

It added as AI becomes widespread, companies are moving to support their employees with targeted training that supports role specific requirements. The findings are clear: companies must take a measured approach to ensure that the pace of AI adoption is supported with the right training, enablement, and governance frameworks.

“In the race to unlock value from AI, companies are investing in AI training for employees and introducing new AI-focused roles,” the study added.

Ben Warren, managing director of People Data, AI and Innovation at Gallagher explained: “For many global companies, AI is no longer in the test phase. It is in the workplace, shaping strategy and powering productivity. Training programs are on the rise, equipping employees for a future where human ingenuity and AI agents will work hand in hand. We know what AI can do, and the potential is undeniable. It can handle repetitive and manual tasks, freeing employees to spend less on menial work and more on what really matters: creative ideation and meeting clients.

“At the same time, our findings suggest that governance frameworks are still catching up with the pace of adoption. As organisations scale their use of AI, risk oversight and clear policies will become increasingly important. Overall, the long-term value of AI will depend on combining technological efficiency with human creativity, judgment and trust.”

The research found that 47% of businesses are offering training to help employees use AI tools – up 7% from 2024. In addition, 40% of businesses have created new roles where AI is a core part of the remit.

Gallagher’s research found that 86% of businesses report that AI has improved employee productivity.

According to the research, AI is here to stay. But organisations still value and desire human skills that cannot be easily replicated by an AI tool. According to the global survey, the most popular reason to protect employee jobs was to retain and promote creativity – in this case, forward-thinking and innovative employees – in the business.

Other common reasons included a desire to keep the human touch in client interactions (cited by 34% respondents), and to ensure that human employees are still available to solve complex problems that technology cannot solve independently (cited by 31%).

“These findings suggest that many organisations see the most effective path forward as one where human creativity and judgment work alongside AI-driven efficiency,” Gallagher added.