Study: Only 15% of Workers Have Access to AI Training Tools

With 10% of employees worried that they could be unemployed without AI training, it's not nearly enough.
Conor Cawley
Written By
Published on April 21, 2026
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Employees are being left behind when it comes to the AI revolution, with only 15% of workers stating that they have access to AI training tools at their jobs.

This is likely exacerbating the fear of AI in the workplace, with 10% of workers believing that they will be unemployed without AI training, according to the study.

These stats clearly illustrate the need for AI training in the workplace, particularly if your business is investing in technology for future success.

According to a study from Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a mere 15.9% of US workers reported that their employer currently offers AI training tools for employees at their business.

“Although most workers with access to AI tools recognize the productivity-enhancing impacts of AI, training in AI tools is not available to all of them.”

Even worse, workers want to learn how to use AI to improve these companies, with 38% of employed respondents noting that it is important to them to have training in how to use AI tools.

The concern about access to AI tools is a very real one, particularly because those getting AI training and using AI tools are doing better at their jobs than those who aren’t.

The survey found that 66.3% of workers earning over $200,000 per year are using AI, while only 15.9% of workers earning under $50,000 per year are using AI.

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Survey results also found that full-time workers (42.7%) are using AI more frequently than part-time workers (24.7%) and college-educated employees (58.7%) are using it more than non-college-educated employees (22.9%).

If you want to avoid being one of those businesses that isn’t providing AI training tools for your employees, you are in luck, because it’s easier than ever to get your staff educated on this new technology.

There are dozens if not hundreds of free AI training courses from education providers that can get you started. They focus on everything from prompt engineering to AI literacy, so your team can be highly functional with the tech.

It’s important to remember that, with AI, replacing humans isn’t an option just yet. The businesses that are succeeding the most are the ones using AI to augment and improve human processes, rather than ditching their workforce for the tech.

Written By

Conor Cawley

Conor is the Lead Writer for Tech.co. For the last eight years, he’s covered everything from tech news and product reviews to digital marketing trends and business tech innovations. He’s a feature, reviews, and news contributor for Android Police, and he has hosted tech-focused events for SXSW, Tech in Motion, and General Assembly, to name a few. He also cannot pronounce the word “colloquially” correctly.

You can email Conor at conor@tech.co.

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