AI Adoption Has a Training Problem: What Sales Leaders Need to Know
Originally reported by PwC, Companies Risk Losing Their Most AI-Savvy Employees While Leaving Majority Behind, September 29, 2026.
Artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace, but new research from PwC suggests that organizations may be overlooking one of the most important factors in successful AI adoption: their people.
According to PwC's 2026 Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey, which surveyed 49,364 workers across 48 countries and regions, AI use at work has increased significantly while access to learning and development resources has declined. Nearly two-thirds of workers—64%—reported using AI at work during the previous 12 months, up 10 percentage points from the prior year. Yet only 51% said they have access to the learning and development resources they need, down from 59%.
PwC identifies 56% of workers as part of an "Engine Room" group that is not far along the AI learning curve. Only about two in five people in this group say they have access to the learning and development resources they need.
For business leaders, these findings raise an important question:
Are organizations investing more heavily in AI technology than they are in preparing their people to use it?
What This Means for Sales Leaders
Sales organizations are increasingly investing in AI-powered CRM capabilities, automated workflows, predictive analytics and intelligent sales assistants.
But introducing new technology doesn't automatically translate into improved sales performance.
Salespeople need to understand how these capabilities fit into their daily responsibilities. Sales managers need to learn how to coach their teams, reinforce new behaviours and use the information generated by these systems to improve performance.
Without that investment in training and adoption, even sophisticated technology can struggle to deliver its intended value.
And this isn't a new problem.
We've been writing about the connection between Salesforce, training and adoption for some time. In Why Salesforce Adoption Fails and How to Fix It, we explored why simply training people on Salesforce isn't enough to create lasting behavioural change.
That distinction becomes even more important as AI enters the picture.
Technology Adoption Is a Change Management Challenge
At The Salesforce Trainers, we approach CRM adoption through three interconnected elements: Process, Platform and People.
Organizations need clearly defined sales processes, technology configured to support those processes, and people who understand how to use the technology effectively.
Too often, organizations concentrate their investments on the platform while underestimating the effort required to change established behaviours.
AI introduces another layer of complexity because employees must learn not only new functionality but potentially entirely new ways of working.
That's why the question isn't simply whether employees have access to AI. The more important question is whether they understand how AI should change the way they work.
We've made this point before in Is Your Salesforce Ready for AI? Here's How to Tell. AI doesn't eliminate the need for a well-defined sales process, a properly configured Salesforce environment or effective sales management. If anything, those fundamentals become more important as AI gains access to more of the organization's data and processes.
The Sales Manager's Role
For sales leaders, this may be the most important takeaway from the PwC research.
AI adoption isn't something that can simply be handed over to IT or the Salesforce administrator.
Sales managers have to be part of the change.
They need to understand what the new technology does, how it affects the way their teams sell and what behaviours need to change. They also need to reinforce those behaviours through coaching, pipeline reviews, one-on-ones and day-to-day management.
Training gives people knowledge.
Management reinforcement turns knowledge into behaviour.
That distinction matters enormously when you're introducing AI into a sales organization.
The Takeaway for Sales Leaders
PwC's findings offer a timely reminder that technological progress and employee readiness do not necessarily advance at the same pace.
For sales leaders considering AI initiatives, the priority shouldn't simply be getting the newest technology into the hands of the sales team. It should be making sure the team has the skills, confidence and management support necessary to turn those capabilities into everyday business practices.
Before investing in the next AI solution, ask a more fundamental question:
Have we fully adopted the technology we already own?
The real competitive advantage may not come from having more AI.
It may come from getting more people to use it effectively.
Original source: PwC, Companies risk losing their most AI-savvy employees while leaving majority behind, September 29, 2026.
