AI training gap puts Europe at a disadvantage | Computer Weekly

European businesses are falling behind those in the US when it comes to using artificial intelligence (AI) at work, a report from Forrester has found.

The analyst firm reported that more firms in the US than in Europe provide regular AI training to their employees. The research also showed that many decision-makers wrongly assume their organisation has offered staff formal AI training. In other cases, AI training might not be mandatory or not very effective.

“If you ask other employees whether they’ve received formal AI training, the response is 52% in the US and only 39% in Europe,” the European employees are falling behind US workers on AI skills report stated.

Forrester principal analyst Indranil Bandyopadhyay, a co-author of the report, said: “Europe’s lagging AI confidence, competence and investment are critical challenges in an increasingly AI-driven economy.”

Forrester analysts believe the training gap may reflect misconceptions about employees’ interest in AI. The survey found that in Europe, 62% of decision-makers believe their company’s non-technical employees feel motivated to learn how to use AI. When employees were asked the same question, the proportion claiming to be motivated to learn to use AI was 55%. In the US, however, the results were nearly identical for decision-makers and employees, at 63% and 64% respectively.

The analyst firm has previously recommended that organisations establish formal AI training programmes to reduce fear of the technology among European workers. In a 2024 future of work survey, Forrester reported that 7% of workers fear job losses due to automation in the next year, 32% think this will happen in the next two to five years and 28% fear it will happen in the coming six to 10 years.

To reduce this fear, which Forrester said can undermine the willingness of employees to use AI at work, analysts urged organisations to ensure employees are familiarised with AI through training and given demonstrations of the opportunities the technology can bring to the workplace.

Europe’s lagging AI confidence, competence and investment are critical challenges in an increasingly AI-driven economy

The European employees are falling behind US workers on AI skills report recommends using a blend of different learning techniques to offer the best path toward AI competencies.

“By layering formal learning – in classrooms and online – with social learning, enabling peer-to-peer connections, and empowering on-the-job experiences based on learning by doing, employees are provided with a manageable path toward AI proficiency,” the report stated.

It suggests using 10% formal learning, 20% social learning and 70% on-the-job experiences. “The key is to weave these different approaches to learning into an intertwined ‘learning fabric’,” the report noted.

Forrester also recommends that business leaders repeat rounds of formal learning for employees to keep them up to date with the speed of technological change in AI. It suggests that European business leaders embrace social learning practices, such as champions programmes.

Bandyopadhyay said: “European leaders should focus on structured AI training programmes, ethical AI use and fostering employee readiness to trust and collaborate with AI systems. By failing to take these steps, Europe risks losing ground in the AI race, along with the productivity and innovation it brings.”

Employees also need to be involved in the design and implementation of generative AI (GenAI) systems, according to Forrester. This will help them understand the reasoning behind GenAI process design, which Forrester believes will ensure the uptake of GenAI systems.

Overall, Forrester found that employees who trust their manager are more likely to have been through formal AI training for work than those who do not trust their manager.