Although 86 percent of organizations plan to increase their investments in artificial intelligence, only 18 percent are able to fully leverage this technology, and just one-third have a talent strategy aligned with their AI objectives, according to a Accenture report. Moreover, only 43 percent of companies invest in upskilling their workforce, highlighting a significant gap in AI-driven value creation.

Based on a global study of more than 1,320 C-level executives and 4,560 employees across 20 industries and 12 markets, the report identifies a small group of organizations, “Talent Reinventors” (18 percent), that have moved beyond experimentation and are achieving measurable impact from AI. These companies are seven times more likely to report improvements in culture, six times more likely to enhance employee experience, and four times more likely to increase workforce adaptability. At the same time, they recorded revenue growth of 1.8 percent and profit growth of 1.4 percent in 2025.

The report highlights several critical challenges that limit AI value:

• talent strategy gap: Nearly 70 percent of organizations rely on external or ad-hoc hiring, only 7 percent use AI-powered internal mobility platforms, and 76 percent of employees say they lack clarity regarding career paths;
• limited AI readiness: Only 25 percent of executives say learning is embedded into workflows, 36 percent of employees receive real-time AI-driven recommendations, and just 19 percent believe they have the skills needed to work with AI;
• burnout risks: 55 percent of employees report cognitive overload, while 49 percent are concerned about job security;

In contrast, “Talent Reinventors” are 7.2 times more likely to prioritize AI-enabled internal mobility and 16.5 times more capable of using dynamic skills data, enabling employees to transition into future-relevant roles.

“If AI remains just a technology investment, without a real investment in people, the value generated will fall far short of its potential. The difference is made by companies that help employees understand and use these tools in their daily work. We already see that organizations placing people at the center of this transformation are the ones growing faster and staying competitive,” said Raluca Burghelea, Country Managing Director of Accenture Romania.

The report outlines six essential characteristics of these organizations: strategic clarity, AI-augmented teams, talent mobility, human-AI co-learning, adaptive leadership, and personalized employee experiences.

“The 18 percent of companies we identified as Talent Reinventors generate greater value from AI by redefining how work gets done and how people develop skills alongside technology. This shift requires an evolution in leadership and the integration of continuous learning across the organization. When investments in technology are matched by investments in people, organizations build more engaged teams, accelerate skill development, and gain the trust needed to navigate AI-driven change,” said Karalee Close, Global Lead, Talent & Organization, Accenture.