In 2026, more HR leaders are focused on training — and not just for AI skills

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In HR Dive’s 2026 Identity of HR survey, the number of respondents who named employee training their organization’s top priority jumped four percentage points year over year, from 5% to 9%. While the overall percentage remains small (recovering from a comparatively large drop after 2024), the increase is significant — especially considering artificial intelligence tools are changing how work is done, experts told HR Dive.

“The shift from 5% to 9% reflects something real happening inside organizations, and AI transformation is the primary driver,” Vishnu Shankar, chief data officer at Draup, a talent intelligence company, said in an email. “Not because companies are replacing workers, but because AI is increasing role complexity faster than existing training programs were designed for.”

The percentage of HR professionals that called training a top priority almost doubled from 2025 to 2026

% of HR professionals that called training a top priority in the Identity of HR survey by year.