Upskilling and retention top HR Concerns in 2024, as business leaders share their perspectives on Generative AI

With a quarter of jobs anticipated to be affected by a ‘new era of turbulence,’ research from modern learning platform provider CYPHER Learning reveals the biggest concerns for HR and business leaders and their attitudes toward generative AI.

The new report – Generative AI in 2024: A potential lifeline amid workplace turbulence – details the findings of the independent survey of 400 HR and business leaders from across the U.S. and U.K. It shows that while upskilling and retention top the list of priorities for HR and business leaders, three out of four (76%) say they struggle to develop training courses with current resources. A further 65% say that while upskilling employees is essential to plugging skills gaps, they don’t have the time to develop relevant courses.

As the demand for upskilling increases the pressure on HR and business leaders to quickly deliver more courses, organizations are looking at how generative AI can boost the effectiveness of training. However, the research from CYPHER Learning shows barriers remain, which are preventing some organizations from taking advantage of the technology. Key findings include:

• 86% of HR and business leaders said either they or their team members use generative AI in their roles.
• 44% express concerns around the data security and accuracy of AI-generated outputs – while over half (52%) worry about AI potentially taking their jobs.
• 69% say that AI could simplify their roles, but they lack the knowledge to maximize its potential, while over half (57%) admit uncertainty around how AI could benefit their roles.

“The global workforce is shifting. The need for robust learning and development courses to compete with the demand for upskilling has never been more paramount for organizations globally,” said Graham Glass, CEO and Founder of CYPHER Learning. “It is imperative now to quell concerns about the role AI will play in the workplace and commit to a measured approach to implementing generative AI into learning and development.”

The research from CYPHER Learning reveals that generative AI is already prominent in workplace discussions around L&D and HR, but businesses need a solution to lower barriers to AI adoption:

• The ways in which HR and business leaders are already using AI:

–        53% use generative AI to create more engaging and fun professional development courses

–        53% use it to create assessments to evaluate learner progress

–        54% use it to save time on course creation

• Three-quarters (77%) of HR and business leaders say they would use AI more if they could verify the information’s authenticity.
• 87% agree that if generative AI were available in a more usable way – where it is built into a commercial tool, for example – they would be more open to using it.

“Generative AI is augmenting L&D and helping us meet the ever-changing skills requirements,” said Glass. “At CYPHER Learning, we believe AI adoption is addressing these challenges – while giving time back to key personnel and saving their organizations money. By adopting commercial solutions with AI validators, all businesses and L&D teams can benefit from using AI easily and securely.”

CYPHER Learning recently launched AI 360 with CYPHER Copilot, a full suite of content creation and delivery tools powered by generative AI. Building on the success of CYPHER Learning’s well-received CYPHER Copilot course-builder assistant, AI 360 with CYPHER Copilot is the world’s first unified solution for both content development and delivery – leveraging fast-advancing AI capabilities to set a new benchmark for efficient, effective personalized learning.

Read CYPHER Learning’s research report: https://www.cypherlearning.com/resources/research/business/generative-ai-in-2024-a-potential-lifeline-amid-workplace-turbulenc

Survey Methodology 

CYPHER Learning commissioned Sapio Research, a third-party research firm, to survey 400 HR and business leaders across the U.S. and U.K. The study aimed to understand their priorities for 2024 and their attitudes toward generative AI as a solution for building a more resilient workforce.