Teaching employees to use AI could add up to $6.6T to US economy
Teaching employees to use AI could add up to $6.6T to US economy
Publish Date: 2026-02-03 11:06:00
Source Domain: www.supplychaindive.com
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Economic Potential of AI and Reskilling: Research by Pearson predicts that augmenting jobs with AI and upskilling employees could add $4.8 trillion to $6.6 trillion to the U.S. economy by 2034, approximately 15% of current U.S. GDP.
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AI Deployment vs. Productivity Gains: Despite significant investments in AI, there are few real enterprise-level productivity gains for workers, often because the primary goal of AI investments tends to be replacing rather than augmenting workforce roles.
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Emotional and Economic Toll on Workers: The rapid deployment of AI has created fears among workers regarding job security and loss of competitive skills, despite reports of some time savings.
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Call for a Human-Centric Approach: The report emphasizes that focusing solely on AI implementation without addressing the human element risks missing out on productivity benefits. It highlights a critical “learning gap” and underscores the need for workers’ training to maximize AI’s potential.
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Global Reskilling Needs: According to Pearson and the World Economic Forum, 59% of the global workforce will need reskilling by 2030 which is crucial to adapt to the changing demands driven by AI.
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Pressure for AI ROI and Employee Confidence: Pearson CEO Omar Abbosh stresses that for successful AI adoption, it is important to develop human skills to work alongside AI, which can build worker confidence and yield desired ROI outcomes for businesses.
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Lack of Training Resources: A report by Express Employment Professionals shows that although many companies use AI, over half lack the resources to train employees on its effective use, further exacerbating workforce concerns.
