Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer an emerging concept in the workplace. It is normalised and used by many adults in the UK; according to Deloitte’s 2025 Digital Consumer Trends research, nearly one in five UK adults are now using AI daily or weekly.
From drafting emails to analysing data, AI is informally being used across many roles and sectors, and at a much faster pace than organisations would have anticipated a few years ago.
While AI adoption is accelerating in the workplace, new research suggests that organisational readiness is lagging behind, and creating a growing challenge for HR teams in 2026.
A recent study by Hable, which surveyed more than 250 workers across a range of industries, reveals a widening gap between how confident employees feel using AI and the level of training, guidance, and support provided by employers.
Confident employees, but limited support
According to Hable’s research, 71% of workers say they feel confident using AI tools at work. Yet only a third (32%) report having received any formal training or learning resources to help them do so effectively. Nearly half say AI tools have not been formally introduced by their employer at all.
This confidence is not necessarily the result of workplace enablement. Instead, it appears to be driven by the normalisation of AI in everyday life, including exposure to tools such as ChatGPT outside of work and growing familiarity with embedded workplace tools like Microsoft Copilot.
This confidence may look positive on the surface, it masks a more complex reality with mixed emotions and differing skillsets across companies. When asked to describe how they felt about use of AI at work, the majority, and almost half (45%) used the word apprehensive, and a further one in eight (12%) even said they felt confused at the prospect of AI.
Employees’ concerns about the future
For HR leaders, this “confidence–capability gap” presents a number of risks and responsibilities.
Employees are already using AI, often without clear policies, shared standards, or guidance on appropriate use. Without structured learning and communication, this can lead to inconsistent skills, uncertainty around accountability, and uneven employee experiences across teams.
When asked how they believe AI will impact their careers, workers expressed a mix of optimism and concern. According to the survey, the top five ways workers believe AI will impact their careers this year are:
- Making their job easier (45%)
- Improving their productivity (44%)
- Helping them learn new skills (28%)
- Fearing it could take away the need for their job or role (27%)
- Creating new opportunities for growth (26%)
The role HR should play in 2026
As AI becomes embedded into everyday work (and faster than many organisations expected) HR has a critical role to play. Beyond technology decisions, HR leaders are central to ensuring employees feel supported, capable, and confident as ways of working change.
Mark Reynolds, Founder and CEO at Hable comments: “Learning opportunities are the simplest way for an organisation to ensure AI adoption at work is consistent company-wide and to the same standard. In the same way that many organisations had to train employees on Microsoft Teams five or so years ago, or moving to the cloud 10+ years ago, AI tools require the same level of learning.”
“This research highlights a real confidence-capability gap emerging in 2026, so organisations now need to match that confidence with proper learning and support so that their employees can excel with technological advances.
“Surprisingly, our survey found that only 41% of organisations have an AI strategy going into 2026 – this is alarming. A solid AI strategy will be the difference in a business being able to keep up to date with technological advances, and equip their team with the skills and confidence to adapt, versus falling behind and missing out. A good strategy will look like documented plans and policies relating to development and use of AI technologies, including how tools such as Microsoft Copilot – which is embedded across everyday Microsoft applications – are supported at scale.”
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