AI FOR HR NEWS

Agentic AI Triples—but Training Gaps Risk Creating a “Digital Divides” in HR

A recent KPMG study underscores a dramatic shift: one-third of organizations now have full-scale agentic AI deployments—a threefold increase in just a few months. That means AI bots and virtual agents aren’t pilot projects anymore—they’re embedded into core operations to power efficiency and innovation.

Steve Chase, KPMG’s VP of AI innovation, said the real story is not cost savings—it’s unlocking new forms of value through intelligent automation CFO Dive. But there’s also a problem: many companies are rolling these agents out faster than they can govern them. The result? Rising concerns about governance, data ethics, and workforce readiness.

The Chasm in AI Training: Execs Zoom Ahead, Frontline Left Behind

Here’s the shocker: BambooHR’s survey revealed 72% of C‑suite and VP-level leaders report daily AI usage, whereas only 18% of individual contributors (ICs) do the same.

The overall story:

• 77% of companies permit AI use, but only 32% offer formal training.

• About 50% of managers receive AI training, but just 23% of ICs do.

• Men (60%) rely on AI daily more than women (40%), and senior leaders view AI-assisted work as high quality far more often than

This evolution is being referred to as a “new digital divide.” Employees are eager, but they lack sufficient coaching. In this split, opportunities for growth—and equity—are at serious risk.

Consequences for HR: Bias, Disclosure, and Ethics Crises

The training gap isn’t just a numbers issue—it has deep implications:

1. Hidden Bias in Agentic Decisions
Too many talent decisions—raises, promotions, and yes, layoffs—are increasingly AI-informed. Yet ethical oversight remains rare. As senior managers lean on AI for personnel moves, transparency gaps could threaten fairness and trigger legal risks.

2. Covert AI Use
A global KPMG-Univ. of Melbourne poll of ~48,000 employees across 47 countries showed 57% hide their AI use from employers, some even passing its work off as their own. That’s a major compliance and intellectual property red flag.

3. “Cheating” Stigma
Many ICs fear AI-assisted work is judged unethical. Think: “Is this my work, or the AI’s?” Without clear policies, employees feel uneasy. BambooHR's Alan Whitaker stresses: policies need to normalize AI, cement it into workflows, and dismantle cheating stigma .

4. Governance Dead Zones
KPMG and Gartner warn that without strong frameworks, more than 40% of agentic AI projects may fail due to high costs, unclear value, or lack of controls . Left unchecked, this could erode trust, misallocate resources, and amplify reputational risk.

What HR Leaders Should Do: Policy, Training, Oversight

To turn AI rollout into AI advantage, HR leaders should:

1. Launch Comprehensive Training Plans
   Design role-based programs—webinars, in-person coaching, community forums—to ensure equal access and confidence in AI use.

2. Implement Ethical Governance Frameworks
   Task forces, bias testing pipelines, and audit checkpoints can help when bots affect hiring, performance, or layoff decisions.

3. Establish Transparency Rules
   Make AI disclosure mandatory in work outputs. Develop naming conventions like “AI-assisted: drafted,” and review streams for AI-generated content.

4. Democratize Access
   Deploy DIY-support tools (like ChatGPT access, internal chatbots) with built-in nudges, best practices, and safety alerts for all roles.
   
   Further Reading
   

   • KPMG’s Survey on Agentic AI Uptake
     “Agentic AI deployment accelerates despite risks: KPMG”—about one‑third of firms moving from pilot to full deployment in just months:
     

   • BambooHR’s Training Report
     “The AI Hierarchy: Execs Use AI 4X More Than Frontline Workers, BambooHR Study Finds”—detailed stats on the training divide:
     

   • Business Insider: Global AI Usage Secrecy
     Coverage of the KPMG–University of Melbourne study showing over 57% of employees hiding their AI use at work:
     

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