60% of HR Leaders Admit Their Training Can't Keep Up With AI

Nearly every HR leader believes AI will create brand new entry-level jobs — but almost half their organizations aren't doing anything to prepare workers for that future. That contradiction is at the heart of new research from Cognizant and Pearson, and it raises an uncomfortable question: are we optimistic about AI transformation while being completely unprepared for it? The AI Workforce Pulse study surveyed 750 HR directors and above at large companies across the US, UK, and India. The findings are striking. 94% of HR leaders expect AI to generate entirely new entry-level roles within five years. 96% expect those roles to shift toward supervising and managing AI systems. And yet — 60% say their learning and development programs can't keep pace with that transformation. Nearly half aren't proactively arranging AI training at all. What's also fascinating is how the definition of a strong entry-level hire is changing. 69% of HR leaders now value broad, interdisciplinary backgrounds over specialized expertise. 67% say they value liberal arts degrees more than before. And a whopping 97% say soft skills — adaptability, problem-solving, human judgment — matter more in an AI-augmented workplace. When AI handles the routine technical work, the human edge becomes about thinking across domains and adapting quickly. The takeaway for HR and L&D leaders is urgent: the transformation isn't coming — it's already here. One-third of entry-level tasks globally are already performed by AI. Organizations that build AI readiness into their training infrastructure now will have a decisive advantage. Those that wait will be scrambling for a shrinking pool of AI-ready talent while their own workforce falls behind.