Companies Must Invest in People, Not Just AI Tools, to Realize…

Sarah J · 2026-01-29T16:32:08.000Z

At the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Julie Teigland Global Vice Chair of EY (Ernst & Young) stressed that companies seeking productivity gains from artificial intelligence (AI) must go beyond simply acquiring technology: they must invest deeply in their workforce and redesign work to capture value. Teigland told Reuters that AI implementation alone does not generate meaningful returns on investment unless organisations adapt job roles, processes and employee skills. Based on EY research, she noted that around 81 hours of structured training per employee, combined with thoughtful role redesign, could lead to roughly 14 % increases in weekly productivity but only if the workforce is prepared to supervise AI tools rather than merely use them. Her remarks reflect a broader shift in tone among business leaders at Davos, from the earlier “hype phase” of AI experimentation to a more pragmatic focus on scalable implementation. Companies are moving past pilot projects and realising that organizational change management not just technology deployment is the critical enabler of AI value. Staying stuck at the pilot stage with no clear path to broad adoption can become what Teigland called a “death trap” for transformation efforts. Teigland emphasised that AI’s impact on labour markets will be “multi-generational”, reshaping both routine white-collar work and entry-level roles. Rather than simply automating tasks, many workers will shift to supervisory or hybrid roles where human judgement augments AI-driven processes. This emphasis on people not just algorithms aligns with voices across Davos calling for responsible, inclusive AI that benefits workers as well as shareholders. Leaders such as Microsoft’s Satya Nadella have also warned that AI’s benefits must be distributed across industries and roles for the technology to be sustainable and not become a speculative bubble.

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Companies Must Invest in People, Not Just AI Tools, to Realize… | SEINET