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A new report from global digital engineering firm Akkodis highlights a critical paradox in the corporate adoption of artificial intelligence. While workforce optimism about using AI tools is surging, leadership confidence in implementation strategies and governance is declining. "The Capability Curve: Building the Next Generation Digital Enterprise" provides a roadmap for co-creating enterprises where human oversight and responsible AI systems scale together.
Quick Intel
Akkodis's latest report identifies a significant AI confidence gap between employees and C-level leaders.
75% of workers believe their leaders are AI-knowledgeable, but only 62% of leaders are confident in their AI strategies.
CTOs cite skills gaps as the top barrier to digital transformation despite underutilizing tech for skill development.
AI already saves workers two hours daily, freeing time for strategic and creative tasks.
The study outlines six actionable steps to build an "AI-confident enterprise" that scales responsibly.
Future success hinges on technology amplifying human potential, not replacing it.
The report, drawing on insights from over 2,000 business leaders and 37,500 workers globally, uncovers a defining tension. There is a notable disconnect between workforce readiness and leadership's cautious approach to scaling, governance, and skills. While three-quarters of employees feel their leaders have sufficient AI knowledge—a massive increase from the previous year—only 62% of leaders are confident in their own AI implementation strategies, marking a 20-point decline.
The research pinpoints several critical areas. For CTOs, the skills gap remains the biggest transformation barrier, yet a mere 20% leverage technology to track or support employee skill growth. On the opportunity side, workers report saving an average of two hours per day using AI, which they reinvest into higher-value creative and strategic work. This signals tangible productivity gains that leaders can now aim to embed sustainably across entire enterprise systems. Furthermore, while 57% of CTOs expect AI to reduce workforce size in five years, 59% plan to redeploy talent internally, pointing toward a model of adaptive workforce resilience.
To bridge this gap, Akkodis provides a clear framework consisting of six actionable steps. These include turning optimism into alignment, redesigning skills as a partnership, and elevating AI as a leadership tool. The other steps focus on embedding trust into hybrid workflows, scaling systems with confidence, and building a culture of shared accountability. By following this path, organizations can ensure humans remain in the loop at every stage, which is the core of an AI-confident enterprise.
Case studies within the report demonstrate this principle in action, from healthcare manufacturers optimizing supply chains in seconds to engineering teams using digital twins for traceable innovation. These real-world examples solidify the report's central thesis: the next frontier of digital transformation depends on a synergistic relationship between human capability and technology.
"AI transformation isn't just about technology—it's about people, trust, structure and shared capability," said Jo Debecker, President and CEO, Akkodis. "This report shows that optimism from the workforce must be matched with system-level confidence from leadership. That's how enterprises turn experimentation into enduring performance."
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