AI adoption at SMBs isn't really the question anymore. 87% say they're already seeing ROI, and 77% have invested in AI tools or platforms for their teams. Adoption is happening everywhere, fast.
What's harder to find is the skills to back it up. 32% of SMB HR leaders name a lack of AI skills as their top obstacle to scaling further, ahead of budget or leadership buy-in. And that gap is starting to show up somewhere unexpected: recruiting. 81% say layoffs and benefit cuts at larger companies have made it easier to attract and keep talent, and 47% have already hired someone away from a bigger firm in the past year.
So, what's separating the SMBs pulling ahead from the ones falling behind (and from many larger enterprise organizations)?
Training built for the job, not the tool. When we asked HR and L&D leaders which upskilling approach actually delivers results, 35% pointed to role-specific training, more than tool training, reimbursement, or letting employees experiment on their own.
We surveyed 526 HR and L&D leaders at SMBs across the US and UK to find out how they're hiring, training, and closing the AI skills gap, and what the companies getting it right are doing differently.
The leaders who move first on skills are the ones who'll win the talent needed for the now and next. Explore the research and see where the opportunities lie for your team.