Harvard Business Review LogoJuly 8, 2026Deagreez/Getty ImagesGenerative AI is transforming what employers expect from knowledge workers—not by replacing expertise but by raising the bar for it. A study of three sectors that recruit the largest“Three years ago, no one in my department used gen AI tools. Today, 100% of the department uses gen AI every day for hours per day,” an executive at a large multinational bank recently told us. His comment captured the rapid growth in the use of generative AI technologies in the workplace.
Research: AI Is Changing What Employers Want from New Hires
Generative AI is transforming what employers expect from knowledge workers—not by replacing expertise but by raising the bar for it. A study of three sectors that recruit the largest proportion of MBA graduates found that three capabilities will distinguish successful professionals: taking on broader, AI-enabled roles; synthesizing knowledge across functions to accelerate innovation; and redesigning workflows around intelligent agents. The winners will be those who pair domain expertise with AI fluency, critical judgment, and systems thinking.
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