63% of Workers Would Give Up a Raise for AI Training — Is HR Listening?

Most companies are racing to roll out AI. But Mercer's latest global talent survey just dropped a number that should make every HR leader stop and think: 63% of employees say they'd give up a 10% pay raise if it meant getting real AI training. That's not resistance to AI — that's employees begging to be prepared for it. Here's the catch. Only 19% of HR leaders are factoring the emotional impact of AI into their digital strategy. Eighty-one percent are deploying AI without addressing how it makes their people feel. Meanwhile, employee thriving has hit its lowest point since Mercer started tracking it — lower than during COVID. Only 44% of workers say they're thriving right now. This episode breaks down the Mercer 2026 Global Talent Trends report and what it means for HR leaders who want to close the growing gap between executive ambition and workforce readiness. We look at why AI fear has nearly doubled in two years, what workers are actually asking for, and what the smart HR plays are right now. If you manage people or build people strategy, this one's for you.