A roadmap for upskilling your workforce on AI


Now is the time for HR leaders to design an AI workforce skills strategy.

A roadmap for upskilling your workforce on AI featured image
By Matthew J. Daniel | March 1st, 2024

1. A narrow window of opportunity

“And while the ‘trough’ may feel like a chance to catch up on your other priorities, it’s actually a critical moment for reskilling and upskilling on new technology to make it a strategic advantage for your company.”

Matthew J. Daniel, Senior Principal, Talent Strategy, Guild
Excitement about Generative AI is peaking, meaning employers have a short window of opportunity to build their talent. On The Gartner Hype Cycle, the time since the introduction of AI is mapped along the x-axis against the expectations for the technology on the y-axis. Currently, generative AI is past the innovation trigger (a new breakthrough) but before the trough of disillusionment (early failures dampen excitement). This is the time defined as the window of opportunity to upskills the workforce for the future. The following points on the cycle, in order from soonest to latest, are: "Likely stage of Generative AI by late 2024/early 2025 (estimated)," "Slope of enlightenment (Solutions are found and ecosystems expand)," and "Plateau of productivity (technology becomes mainstream)."

2. Learn from "digital transformation" and take an active role

“It can be tempting to lean on technical teams to dictate your business needs around AI, but let me be blunt: Deferring to the rest of the business to pull together the first rounds of AI skilling is a recipe for missed opportunities and HR irrelevance.”

Matthew J. Daniel, Senior Principal, Talent Strategy, Guild

3. Building a persona-based framework

AI upskilling goals by persona: 1. Leaders & executives: Help me lead my organization through AI transformation and differentiate my strategy with AI. 2. Technical (AI) professionals: Help me build and scale AI technology throughout my organization without introducing risk. 3. Early-to-mid career professionals: Help me to use AI tools effectively in my role and tell me the rules. 4. Frontline employees: Help me be informed about AI and its implications on my future.

4. Investing in foundational skills for AI

Core skills and focus areas by AI upskilling category
AI Fundamentals: Literacy, ethics, and implications
AI in Practice: Understand and use AI tools
AI Expertise: Build and scale AI in the business
AI for Leaders: Strategy for AI in business

5. Charting a path forward