Every employee is now an AI employee. Here’s how organizations need to prepare

In an era of relentless technological advancement, AI integration isn’t merely an upgrade but a fundamental shift affecting every aspect of organizational operations. Unlike past tech shifts that required specific teams or experts to adapt, AI is a horizontal skill — demanding universal competency across entire organizations. For business leaders tasked with AI transformation, here’s the simple truth: every single employee needs to become an AI employee.

In the months and years to come, we will see the difference between companies that merely consider AI as a feature and those that fully integrate AI into their operations. This shift enhances productivity, security, and innovation, and it fundamentally alters competitive dynamics.

This transformation is evident when comparing the fluency of leading AI companies — primarily startups and tech giants — to more traditional companies. Top-tier AI organizations achieve Gen AI fluency with over 90% of their non-technical workforce proficient in AI; this is in stark contrast to the 28% average in firms outside of Tech. This widespread AI integration underscores that in cutting-edge organizations, understanding and utilizing AI is the norm, not an outlier. In these environments, AI fluency is not merely encouraged but is a fundamental expectation, fostering a culture of continuous adaptation and learning.

Setting a skills vision for your AI-ready workforce

To effectively integrate AI across their organization and ensure every employee is AI-ready, leaders should follow a clear, actionable playbook:

Begin by setting a skills vision and defining the AI competencies necessary for all employees. This vision should be dynamic, evolving with technological advancements and strategic business needs. It serves as the foundation for developing an AI-ready workforce.

There are different ways of structuring your skills vision. The easiest approach is AI Builders vs AI Users. The vast majority of employees will be AI users — using AI tools to augment and…