Workplace adoption of artificial intelligence is accelerating rapidly, but structured training for employees is failing to keep pace. This is the central finding of the Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2026 published by professional services firm PwC, which surveyed 49,364 workers across 48 countries and regions. According to the research, 64 percent of employees now state that they use AI in their daily professional roles, representing an increase of ten percentage points compared to the previous year. Daily usage of generative AI tools rose noticeably as well, climbing from 14 percent to 22 percent.
At the same time, the survey exposes a deteriorating environment for corporate skill development. Even as automated systems permeate standard workflows, the proportion of employees receiving relevant educational opportunities has contracted sharply. Only 51 percent of surveyed workers reported having access to necessary training and learning resources. In the previous year, that figure stood at 59 percent, marking an eight percentage point drop within a single annual cycle.
PwC highlights a four-way division within modern corporate workforces, driven largely by divergent access to skills and tools. Leading this dynamic is a cohort termed front-runners, comprising 14 percent of respondents. This segment possesses advanced AI capabilities, benefits from an 80 percent training access rate, and exhibits high confidence in future career outcomes. In contrast, the vast majority of the workforce risks being left behind.
The bulk of employees belongs to what PwC identifies as the engine room, accounting for 56 percent of the global sample. These professionals manage day-to-day operations with little support, facing restricted access to enablement programs and modern AI resources. Less than 40 percent of workers in this group receive training opportunities, entrenching a significant division between skilled technical specialists and core operational staff.
This skills gap aligns with significant oversight deficits at executive and governance levels. Findings from the PwC Governance Insights Center, which surveyed more than 600 corporate directors, reveal that 71 percent of board members admit their oversight panels lack the technical depth required to evaluate AI risks and strategic investments. Furthermore, directors predominantly rated management reporting on AI risk mitigation, financial returns, and workforce readiness as adequate to poor.