The Urgency of Gen AI: Are You Prepared or Playing Catch-Up?

Imagine this: Goldman Sachs predicts gen AI could add a whopping $7 trillion to global GDP and boost productivity by 1.5 percentage points over the next decade, impacting two-thirds of jobs in the US and EU. That's not pocket change—it's a revolution. But the survey shows most organisations are still in the "let's think about it" phase: 49% are exploring or planning, 28% have early pilots, 16% have scaled use cases, and 7% aren't even starting.

Why the Hesitation?

It boils down to readiness gaps across six critical areas: employee skills and knowledge, technology infrastructure, data foundation, risk mitigation, gen AI guidelines, and organisational culture. The survey rates preparedness on these, and the results are eye-opening—between 32% and 54% feel prepared, implying around half (or more) aren't confident in any given area. More feel unprepared than prepared in four of the six areas. Let’s unpack these gaps with specific evidence from the report and explore how they might be holding your business back.

Gap 1: Employee Skills and Knowledge – The Human Hurdle

Only 32% of respondents feel prepared here, making it the weakest link. Gen AI isn't plug-and-play; it requires teams who can wield it effectively. Without the right skills, you're essentially handing someone a Ferrari without teaching them to drive. The report highlights that organisations face a skills gap as they rush to leverage this technology, emphasising the need for training programs to close the technology-knowledge gap.

Engaging Point

Think about your last team meeting—did anyone confess to secretly using ChatGPT for emails but fearing they'd "break" something more advanced? That's common! As Abid Rahman from Eversana puts it, "Gen AI is probably the biggest technology shift we've seen in our lifetime—at least as big as the internet." His company tackled this with ongoing training that evolved from "dos and don'ts" to sharing best practices, closing the knowledge gap in weeks. Eversana's approach included initial training on what to do and not do, evolving to best practices for extracting more value from tools.

Value Tip

Start small. Audit your team's skills with a quick survey: "On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are you prompting gen AI for creative tasks?" Then, invest in workshops or online courses. At Saulius Systems, our "Art of the Possible" Workshop—part of our 4-pillar framework—turns scepticism into championship through hands-on sessions tailored to your use cases, including a change management toolkit. Learn more about our full services, including this pillar, at https://www.saulius-systems.com/blank-1.

Gap 2: Organisational Culture – Fostering Innovation Without Fear

With just 40% feeling prepared, culture is another sore spot. Gen AI brings change, and change breeds uncertainty—think job security worries or resistance to new tools. The report notes that effective change management is essential, involving creating a culture that supports innovation while addressing concerns about job security.

Engaging Point

Picture a world where your employees aren't scared of AI but excited to collaborate with it. Restworld, an Italian hospitality employment platform, nailed this by hosting workshops to "demystify" AI concepts. Employees got a voice in shaping the tool, turning sceptics into advocates. Restworld's workshops helped employees understand their role in guiding and improving the AI, giving them feedback and input.

Value Tip

Build a culture of experimentation. Introduce "AI Innovation Days" where teams pitch gen AI ideas without judgment. Address fears head-on in town halls, emphasising how AI augments roles (e.g., recruiters at Restworld now use gen AI for smarter matching from a database of 150,000 job seekers, saving hours). Our "Leader's Playbook & Growth Partnership" at Saulius Systems provides communication templates and ongoing support to scale this culture. Dive into our 4-pillar approach on our services page: https://www.saulius-systems.com/blank-1.

Gap 3: Gen AI Guidelines and Risk Mitigation – Navigating the Minefield

Preparedness sits at 38% for guidelines and 37% for risk mitigation. No wonder—56% cite ethical, legal, and cybersecurity risks as the top barrier to scaling. The report details barriers like potential legal, ethical, and cybersecurity risks keeping executives awake at night, with almost all organisations facing some barriers (only 1% report none).

Engaging Point

Ever worried about gen AI hallucinating facts or leaking sensitive data? You're not alone. Canva's Thibault Main de Boissière stresses a "conservative" approach: layers of security, regulatory compliance, and rapid feedback loops to iterate safely. It's like building a fortress while still charging ahead. Canva builds layers upon layers of security around AI systems while maintaining a good feedback loop for quick validation and performance measurement.

Value Tip

Don't reinvent the wheel. Develop clear guidelines: What data can be inputted? How do you verify outputs? Use a checklist like this:

• Data Privacy: Ensure compliance with GDPR or CCPA.

• Ethical Checks: Ban biased prompts and require human oversight.

• Cybersecurity: Opt for secure platforms like AWS partners.

  
  

Eversana's internal AI council approves ideas before piloting, ensuring risks are managed with compliance and human oversight in the regulated pharma industry. Our "AI Readiness Blueprint" at Saulius Systems includes a risk/opportunity matrix to map this out. Explore it and our other pillars at https://www.saulius-systems.com/blank-1.

The Bright Spots: Tech Infrastructure and Data Foundation

Here's some good news—54% feel prepared on tech infrastructure (vs. 28% unprepared), and 43% on data foundation (vs. 39% unprepared). These are foundational wins, but they're not enough alone. If your data is siloed or outdated, even the best AI will flop. The report notes exceptions in these areas where more feel prepared.

Engaging Point

Restworld fueled their custom gen AI with proprietary data from 150,000 job seekers, creating killer matching algorithms. The result? Recruiters work smarter, not harder. They partnered to build the solution, emphasising the value of proprietary data while acknowledging the need for research and experimentation.

Value Tip

Assess your setup: Do you have clean, accessible data? Invest in cloud solutions for scalability. Our "First AI Workflow Delivery" deploys a high-return AI agent in under 30 days, integrating seamlessly with your tools. Check out the details on our services page: https://www.saulius-systems.com/blank-1.

Overcoming Barriers: Actionable Steps to Scale Gen AI

The survey shows organisations are fighting back: 53% are upgrading data/tech infrastructure and developing governance, 35% adjusting processes, 33% developing change management strategies, 31% addressing employee concerns, and more (as detailed in Figure 1 of the report).

Engaging Point

Remember, gen AI isn't optional—it's essential. As Rahman warns, "If they don’t [adopt it], they’re going to fall behind. It’s really as simple as that."

Value Tip: Your Readiness Roadmap

1. Assess Gaps: Use the survey's six areas as a self-audit framework.

2. Prioritise Training: Close skills gaps with hands-on programs, as Eversana did with evolving training.

3. Manage Risks Proactively: Build feedback loops and guidelines, like Canva's security layers.

4. Iterate and Scale: Start with pilots, measure ROI, and expand, ensuring proprietary data integration as per Restworld.

5. Seek Partners: Don't go it alone—leverage firms like Saulius Systems for custom solutions via our 4-pillar framework.

   
   

Final Thoughts: Leap Into the Gen AI Future

The readiness gaps in gen AI adoption are real, but they're also bridgeable. By addressing skills, culture, risks, and more—with evidence-backed strategies from the HBR survey—you can transform your business into an AI powerhouse. At Saulius Systems, we're passionate about helping companies like yours navigate this journey through our comprehensive services—from the AI Readiness Blueprint to ongoing partnerships.

Ready to close your gaps? Visit our services page at [https://www.saulius-systems.com/blank-1](/blank-1) for a free readiness assessment or to learn more about building your AI-native future.

What’s one readiness gap you're facing right now? Share in the comments below—I’d love to hear your thoughts and offer tailored advice. Let's make gen AI work for you!