AI Irony: Executives champion AI but underinvest in the skills and oversight needed to realise returns

LONDON, March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Business leaders overwhelmingly believe in AI's potential, but most organisations fail to invest in the workforce and governance needed to make it pay off, according to new research from Economist Impact and supported by Kyocera Document Solutions, a leading provider of total document solutions.

Based on a survey of 639 executives across London, New York, Tokyo, Sydney, and Singapore, the report highlights a disconnect between AI ambition and organisational readiness.

While 88% of executives view AI as a source of competitive advantage, only 38% report sufficient budgets for AI training. As a result, just 4% of executives say their organisations have achieved repeatable, scalable business value from AI.

Despite near-universal claims that companies are building AI skills (99%), most companies rely on informal approaches such as mentorship (54%) and self-directed learning (52%). External partnerships (21%) and structured internal programmes (16%) remain limited, restricting capability-building across the workforce. Where training exists, almost half of executives say it reaches less than 10% of their employees.

Governance presents a similar gap. Although organisations widely acknowledge the importance of responsible AI, only a small minority (8%) have enforceable frameworks in place, falling to 2% in small firms.

"Our research indicates that many businesses are still laying the tracks while the AI train is in full motion," said Charles Ross, Asia head of policy and insights at Economist Impact. "Without sustained investment in skills and strong governance, organisations risk undermining the long-term value AI can deliver."

The findings reveal internal misalignment slowing progress. While 60% report strong leadership alignment on AI talent strategies, one in three executives cite resistance to change among employees and middle management as a key barrier to implementation.

Critical skills gaps also persist. While 96% of executives say cybersecurity is essential for AI deployment, only 20% believe their workforce is proficient. Significant shortfalls also exist in data privacy and bias detection.

As AI automates routine tasks, critical thinking and creativity are increasingly important—yet only around one-third of executives believe their workforce excels in these areas.

Keisuke Koyama, executive officer and senior general manager of the Corporate Marketing Division at Kyocera Document Solutions, said: "Skills, governance and leadership are key to unlocking AI ambition into sustainable value. Bridging these capability gaps is essential to responsible, people-centered digital transformation that delivers real business value."

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