As AI continues to transform the modern workplace, it's clear that those who harness its power are poised for success. From the highest levels of management to the front lines of operations, the future of work is being shaped by those who embrace the potential of AI. While some companies have formally integrated AI into their work processes, others have not — and in these situations, we are seeing more employees bringing their own AI (BYOAI) to work. How can companies ensure that no one is left behind in the race to embrace AI?

Our data tells us that professionals in APAC are convinced of the benefits of using AI at work. In fact, this region is leading the charge globally when it comes to embracing AI in the workplace, with 83% already using generative AI tools, compared to the global average of 75%. By using these tools to work faster and smarter, workers are seeing increased time savings, enhanced creativity, and greater job satisfaction. These time savings allow them to focus on strategic thinking, creativity, and collaboration — skills which will help people create more value at work.

However, even as employees are taking the initiative to explore AI use, company leadership seems to be lagging behind. 84% of leaders in APAC recognize the importance of AI in staying competitive, but a large percentage (61%) worry that their organization's leadership lacks a plan and vision for implementing AI. This raises important questions about how we should approach AI implementation in our organizations and what we need to start thinking about to ensure successful adoption and integration.

Helping employees develop the skills they need to work effectively with AI

In today's fast-paced work environment, it's becoming increasingly clear that job titles are no longer fixed and rigid. Instead, it's more useful to view jobs as collections of specific tasks that need to be completed. By breaking down job tasks in this way, both employers and employees can gain valuable insights into how AI can enhance their day-to-day work. For instance, I have improved my efficiency by leveraging AI to summarize meeting notes and follow-up actions, as well as develop ideas for a strategic thinking course. Additionally, I have utilized AI for predictive analysis to determine which development experiences would provide the desired pipeline of talent in a given situation. This shift in mindset can help leaders better understand their employees' roles and identify opportunities for developing targeted training programs that can help them work more effectively with AI. LinkedIn’s AI Upskilling Framework is useful as it maps how organizations can understand the five different levels of AI expertise required by their workforce — from the foundational skills of understanding generative and responsible AI, to the advanced skills of deeply specializing in training AI models and mastering AI security and cloud solutions.

Regardless of roles, AI training should happen across the organization for employees to fundamentally understand what AI can do. LinkedIn has unlocked 50 AI courses to help get everyone started, and these are free until 8 July. Going a step further, LinkedIn’s AI Coach tool uses this technology to customize and predict employees’ needs, recommending courses tailored to their experience and expertise.

Fostering a culture of experimentation and innovation amongst all, not just AI power users

Our data shows there are four types of AI users emerging on a spectrum — ranging from skeptics who rarely use AI to power users who use it extensively. Already, current power users give us a glimpse into how an equipped workforce might use AI to work better and even feel better about work.

For example, power users of AI are more likely to experiment with different ways of using AI on a regular basis (68%) and to consider how AI could help them with a task before starting it (49%). As a result, these users report significant benefits, including increased creativity (92%) and improved focus (93%) at work.

Company-wide culture plays a large part in cultivating AI power users, and can be built through strategic change management across training, tools, and encouraging habit-building. For example, at LinkedIn, employees are given a series of AI tools to experiment with, and leaders – across senior executives, down to department leaders and managers – openly encourage the use of AI in day-to-day work. At RMIT University in Australia, upskilling on AI with LinkedIn Learning has given employees the opportunity to see new ideas and formats that can help prompt them to do things differently. The RMIT Talent Team, for instance, uses AI as a guide on how to communicate with larger groups of people while still keeping interactions personal. Usage can start small, such as with creating the first draft of an email or summarizing extensive data, as employees build confidence and knowledge.

Ensuring AI is deployed in a way that is ethical, transparent, and inclusive

Unregulated AI use, as is the case with BYOAI, can raise concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy – leading to uncertainty for both employees and the organization. That’s why education around AI literacy and responsible AI is important as the basis for employees to engage safely.

It’s also important to make sure that useful AI tools comply with internal systems. For example, company-approved AI tools like Microsoft Copilot, which seamlessly integrates with existing security protocols, offer a safe and compliant alternative to BYOAI.

Beyond one-sided education, employees also need to be actively engaged and consulted so that they feel involved and in control as technology evolves. Instead of a top-down approach, this means seeking their views in the AI adoption process and encouraging them to provide feedback on which tools work best for them. Open lines of feedback to mutually convey the purpose and benefits of the technology as well. Additionally, create spaces for employees to demonstrate successful AI use cases, or even organize friendly competition between employees to ‘hack’ its use within the organization to inspire innovation.

AI presents an opportunity to fundamentally transform your workforce's operational dynamics. When implemented correctly, embracing AI today can yield future benefits, such as a workforce that is both more efficient and content. In the same way that AI is evolving with limitless opportunities, we can equip our workforces to stay nimble and open to growing with it, together.