Although 73% of organisations plan to implement artificial intelligence-based tools, as many as 77% of companies admit they do not know how to use AI’s potential effectively, while 51% are not prepared for the changes it will bring. At the same time, only 18% of businesses believe they have the capabilities needed to manage the transformation of employees’ roles. Data from Antal highlights a clear gap between the growing scale of AI deployments and organisations’ actual readiness.
While companies increasingly view AI as an investment priority, the pace of technological implementation is clearly outstripping the development of skills and organisational preparedness. In practice, this means that the key issue is no longer whether to introduce AI, but how to prepare an organisation to use it effectively.
According to the Antal and Sodexo Poland report, “Readiness for AI”, which surveyed procurement department representatives about the direction of development in their organisations, 27% of respondents identified AI implementation as a strategic priority, compared with 15% two years earlier. At the same time, 51% of companies declared that they were not ready for AI-related change, while 77% said they did not know how to use its potential effectively. Only 18% of organisations believe they are prepared to redesign employees’ roles and competencies.
“In many organisations, AI is still treated as a technology project, while the greatest barriers concern people, processes and organisational culture. Companies may deploy tools, but without preparing their teams, these investments will not translate into business results,” says Artur Skiba, President of Antal.
The Biggest Barriers Are Not Technological, but Organisational
Companies are struggling to build the conditions needed to make effective use of AI. The biggest challenge remains poorly prepared data structures, cited by 45% of respondents. This is followed by skills shortages within teams, reported by 42%, employee concerns, also at 42%, and a lack of understanding of the new role people will play in an AI-supported workplace, indicated by 41%.
Only later do technological barriers emerge, including the immaturity of available solutions and cybersecurity concerns, both cited by 34% of respondents, as well as implementation costs, mentioned by 32%.
At the same time, 73% of organisations plan to deploy AI or automation tools, confirming that investment decisions are being made faster than decisions about how to prepare organisations for the change.
Skills Are Developing Outside Organisations, While AI Is Already Present in Everyday Work
The lack of a systematic approach to transformation is particularly visible among employees. Antal’s latest report, “Activity of Specialists and Managers”, shows that 86% of experts want to gain new skills. However, 48% believe they do not receive sufficient support from their employer in this area.
As a result, skills development is increasingly shifting to individuals. Some 71% of employees train independently, while among senior managers the figure rises to 80%.
Meanwhile, a Minds & Roses study conducted for Lazarski University found that 79% of employees already use AI tools, although only 25% use them in their professional work. This suggests that AI adoption is developing from the bottom up, with organisations largely leaving responsibility for skills development to employees rather than managing it through a structured, organisation-wide approach.
Future Skills Are Changing Faster Than Organisations
The pressure is further intensified by the pace of change in the labour market. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, 39% of key skills will change by 2030.
The effects of this dynamic are already visible. While 93% of specialists and managers believe they have the right qualifications for their jobs, 64% feel overwhelmed by the pace of organisational change, and half believe that too many changes are happening at the same time.
AI Is Changing Work, but It Requires a New Approach to Leadership
Employees see clear potential in AI. They most often point to greater work efficiency, cited by 38%, support in decision-making, indicated by 34%, and opportunities for skills development, mentioned by 29%.
At the same time, 36% are concerned about insufficient regulation, suggesting that the market is still in the process of becoming familiar with the technology rather than having fully adapted to it.
“Digital transformation does not begin with technology. It begins with decisions about the operating model, capabilities and the role of people in the organisation. Only then can tools be implemented effectively. This is the responsibility of the entire management board,” adds Skiba.
“Unfortunately, many companies still lack procedures, standards and development programmes that would allow them to use AI in an orderly and secure way. As a result, employees experiment independently, which accelerates technology adoption but also increases the risk of organisational chaos and ineffective use of AI’s potential.”
Why Are Companies Losing Value from AI Investments?
The research shows that the ability to manage change and properly prepare employees for the implementation of artificial intelligence will be critical to the success of digital transformation in the coming years.
In response to these challenges, Antal is carrying out activities related to labour market analysis and employer education in the areas of technological and skills-related change. These issues are also reflected in Antal’s ESG report, which identifies human capital development and support for innovation as among the company’s most important areas of impact on the labour market.
“In the debate around AI, much attention is devoted to the technology itself, while far less is paid to how people’s work is changing. Our research shows that organisations are more often struggling with skills shortages and low readiness for change than with limitations of the tools themselves,” says Artur Migoń, Vice President of Antal.
“This is why the subject has also been included in our ESG report. We believe that business responsibility includes not only implementing technology, but also preparing people to function in a rapidly changing working environment. Although we are not required to report on ESG, we do so voluntarily, treating this process as an expression of our responsibility for the labour market.”
Sources
Antal, Sodexo Poland and PSML, “Readiness for AI: How the Procurement Sector Can Prepare for the Technological Revolution”, 2025
Antal, “Activity of Specialists and Managers”, 2025
World Economic Forum, “Future of Jobs Report 2025”
Minds & Roses for Lazarski University, study on employees’ use of AI tools
