Are We Accidentally Creating a Two-Tier Workforce with AI?

Much of the conversation about AI and work has focused on whether technology will replace jobs. But there is another, less obvious shift taking place inside organisations: what happens when some employees become significantly more productive because they know how to use AI, while others don't?

Imagine two people doing essentially the same role. One uses AI confidently to analyse information, draft reports, automate repetitive tasks and explore new ideas. The other continues to work largely as they always have. Both may be capable and committed employees, but over time, the difference in their output and capacity could become increasingly visible.

This raises an important question for P&C: could AI inadvertently create a two-tier workforce?

The AI advantage won't necessarily be evenly distributed

AI capability is likely to become an increasingly valuable workplace skill. Employees who know how to use AI effectively may be able to work faster, take on more complex tasks and spend more time on higher-value activities. This could influence performance, career progression and ultimately, employability.

Although access to that advantage isn't necessarily equal. Some employees will have access to sophisticated AI tools and the confidence to experiment with them. Others may have limited access, lack the time or training to develop their skills, or simply be unsure about how and when AI should be used.

There is also the question of what happens when high performers become even more productive. If one employee can complete work in half the time using AI, organisations may naturally begin to question whether that level of productivity should become the new benchmark.

That could create a cycle where those who are already confident with AI gain more opportunities, develop their skills further and become increasingly valuable, while those who haven't had the same opportunity begin to fall further behind.

From individual capability to organisational responsibility

This is where the conversation becomes bigger than simply encouraging employees to “learn AI”.

If organisations want AI to improve productivity and capability across the workforce, they need to think about how that capability is developed and shared. Providing access to a tool isn't enough; people need to understand how to use it effectively, when human judgement is still essential and how to apply AI responsibly.

As more organisations embrace company-wide AI adoption, this raises some important questions for P&C:

1. Do employees have equitable access to appropriate AI tools?
   If AI capability is going to influence productivity and career opportunities, access shouldn't become an accidental privilege.
2. Are we investing in AI capability?
   Employees need practical opportunities to learn, experiment and build confidence rather than being expected to figure it out themselves.
3. Are our performance expectations changing?
   If AI creates capacity, organisations need to consider whether that capacity should mean more work, or whether it can be redirected towards more valuable and meaningful work. 
4. Are we redesigning roles as work changes?
   Some roles won't disappear, but the tasks within them may change significantly. Workforce planning needs to consider what skills will be required in the future, not just what is needed today.
5. Is our approach to Career Planning giving people a pathway forward?
   If a role is changing because of AI, telling someone to “learn AI” isn't a career strategy. Employees need clarity about how their role may evolve and what capabilities they need to remain relevant.
6. How robust is our implementation/ adoption plan?

Currently reports are suggesting that employees are sabotaging AI implementation projects to protect their own jobs. A robust plan is critical, one that acknowledged workforce diversity in desire and ability to adopt AI.

The risk isn't AI. It's an uneven AI advantage. AI has enormous potential to improve the way people work. It can remove repetitive tasks, support better problem-solving and give employees capabilities that were previously available only to specialists. But if access, confidence and capability develop unevenly, AI could also widen the gap between employees.

We can either allow AI capability to split into a two-tier workforce, that separates employees into those who have figured it out and those who haven't, or we can treat AI literacy as a workforce capability that successful organisations own the responsibility to build company wide.

The challenge for organisations is therefore not simply to adopt AI. It is to make sure that the benefits of AI aren't reserved for the people who are already best positioned to take advantage of it. Now that’s a people and culture issue worth paying attention to.