There’s an AI Training Deficit: What Businesses Must Do Now
Press Release | February, 2025
A recent report from Dutch software developer Klippa reveals a concerning trend: companies are not providing their employees with sufficient AI training. Nearly half (48.6%) of all surveyed employees reported either receiving inadequate training or none at all.
Ever since automation technologies have been significantly adopted in the three surveyed markets (EU, NA, UK), a considerable amount of untrained workers have had to find their own way of dealing with these developments. Insufficient training can lead to unpreparedness. In turn this generates inefficiencies within organizations and limits their competitive advantages of AI adoption.
How severe is the training deficit
The State of Professional Perceptions on AI report highlights a substantial gap in workforce preparation, with varied degrees of impact. Overall, the European Union seems to be the most affected by both the extent and quality of training. No less than 26.7% of surveyed employees within the EU indicated they had received no AI training whatsoever. In comparison, only 6.5% of UK respondents and just 3.2% of those based in the US concurred.
Even among those who did receive training, many felt it lacked depth and quality. Almost a third of surveyed professionals from the European Union felt the programs could still be improved, and an extended 12.8% considered it insufficient. The need for improved training is also perceived by important segments of US (33.1%) and UK (27.4%) research participants.
Training and upskilling employees is essential to ensure they fully benefit from the available AI tools. Providing structured training not only enhances capabilities but also ensures the safe and effective use of AI, supporting a smooth implementation process.
A barrier to success?
While AI adoption is widely seen as beneficial, with 85.3% of respondents looking at it from a positive perspective, the lack of adequate training is a barrier to unlocking its full potential. Employees without proper training are less likely to understand how access to advanced tools can change their productivity. Eventually this is bound to result in higher costs and slower return on investment for businesses.
In the report, Mike Allton, founder of The Social Media Hat, found the situation concerning and compared it to “building a high-performance race car and expecting someone to win a race with no driving experience.” He emphasized the urgency for businesses to prioritize AI training initiatives to empower employees.
Opportunities for Improvement
Organizations have a clear opportunity to bridge the training gap. Robust and ongoing education programs can ensure employees are equipped to handle evolving AI tools, mitigating risks associated with misuse while fostering innovation and efficiency.
“The pace of AI’s evolution demands proactive upskilling and reskilling initiatives. Businesses that invest in their workforce will see the greatest returns from automation technologies”, added Menno Fokkema.
About Klippa
Founded in 2015, Klippa is a globally recognized provider of intelligent document processing solutions. By employing cutting-edge technologies such as AI, OCR, and machine learning, Klippa helps organizations around the world to process and manage documents more efficiently. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Klippa operates in various industries, including finance, logistics, healthcare, and retail.
About the Research
The State of Professional Perceptions on AI report is the result of a survey conducted on 485 employees active in North America (51.7%), the European Union (35.5%), and the United Kingdom (12.8%). Dutch software company Klippa – which specializes in intelligent document processing – conducted the research in partnership with Databox – a platform that helps businesses improve their performance by leveraging data.
For further information and media requests please contact:
Aila Kubat – PR Marketeer
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