Organizational leaders need to take an active role in developing an AI strategy that turns awareness into understanding, and map that strategy to the skills their teams need to grow, according to new research.
Key findings:
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There is a gap between awareness and understanding of AI —Recent things 2025 Future of the Professional Report It shows that 96% of experts have at least basic knowledge. consciousness When it comes to AI, 71% lack a good understanding of its real-world applications. This gap limits professional services organizations from truly maximizing their AI tool investments.
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AI strategy drives both professional development and ROI — We found that professionals with strong or specialized knowledge of AI are 2.8 times more likely to see organizational benefits from AI compared to those with less knowledge. Similarly, businesses and enterprises with a visible top-down AI strategy are 3.5 times more likely to see a positive return on investment from AI. Both offer clear benefits in aligning skills training and AI strategies across organizations.
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Identifying and addressing AI-related skills gaps is essential — Nearly half of professionals say they feel there are skills gaps within their teams, including both technical and soft skills needed for successful AI implementation. Leaders who identify these gaps and tailor AI training to the needs of their specific teams will maximize the benefits of AI in the workplace.
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In the nearly three years since ChatGPT introduced generative AI (GenAI) to the general public, AI applications have become increasingly pervasive in business tools and workflows. Whether it’s AI, GenAI, or (increasingly) agent AI, professionals in the legal, tax and accounting, and government industries have been implementing new AI concepts at a dizzying pace.
Understandably, many professionals struggle to stay ahead of the pace of change while trying to keep up. According to recent Thomson Reuters results 2025 Professional future reportwhich examines trends that affect the careers of professionals, and which most professionals are aware of at this time. what AI can do it. But what they struggle with is taking the next step of determining how those use cases are applied. to them. This jump is more pronounced among senior members of many organizations, the report shows.
Many professionals now have access to these next-generation tools, but it is clear that despite their best efforts, some do not fully understand how to apply AI, GenAI, and other related technologies to the best of their abilities and to their greatest advantage. For senior leaders in organizations, this means a change in approach is required. And that might mean creating a comprehensive AI strategy that allows professionals to achieve real goals that also benefit the entire organization.
Gap between awareness and understanding
The idea that professional services organizations are behind the times when it comes to technology may be an outdated concept. For example, law firms of all sizes have continued to invest in technology at a pace that outpaces inflation over the past decade, according to law firms. Thomson Reuters Institute Law Firm Financial Index. Tax and accounting and government studies have found similar results. Additionally, interest in GenAI is growing, and many large organizations are adopting GenAI technology and starting to build their own systems.
With this in mind, Professional future report We found that 96% of professionals surveyed said they had some basic knowledge. consciousness AI capabilities. AI is rapidly being incorporated into systems that support day-to-day operations and back-office functions.
But when asked if they have it, understanding Many experts are starting to feel confused about the practical applications of AI, beyond just recognizing it. In fact, 71% said they don’t feel well-informed about the practical applications of AI in their careers. This percentage is even higher among baby boomers, who are more likely to hold leadership positions due to seniority.
According to research, there are several reasons why this gap occurred. First, less than half (39%) of professionals say they have personal goals related to AI adoption, reducing the incentive to actually set aside valuable time to discover practical uses for these tools. Some professionals also reported not feeling actively engaged in AI policy or encouraged to explore new ways of working, especially at entry-level levels.
The business implications of this are clear. The study found that knowledge of AI applications has a direct correlation to benefiting from the use of AI within an organization. We found that professionals with good or specialized knowledge of AI are 2.8 times more likely to benefit their organization from AI compared to those with less knowledge.
Evolution of the modern professional
Given the rapid pace of AI adoption, it’s no surprise that businesses and enterprises alike are demanding more AI development. Business strategy centered on AI utilization. And in fact, The future of professionals Research shows that organizations with a visible AI strategy are 3.5 times more likely to see at least one form of positive return on investment from their overall use of AI.
So how does that top-down strategy apply to legal, tax, accounting, and government professionals themselves? Research shows that there is a disconnect between knowing AI and understanding AI. do not have A question of desire. expert want To improve your skills in this field. In fact, more than three-quarters of professionals say they have voluntarily read reports and articles about AI in their industry, and more than two-thirds say they have spontaneously experimented with AI tools or held informal learning sessions with colleagues.
However, even with these increased learning opportunities, there is still a gap between awareness and understanding. But research shows that’s not the case one The best way to bridge this gap is through independent learning. In fact, the biggest predictor of AI proficiency is engagement in a wide range of fields. variety How to learn at both organizational and individual levels. In other words, it is plan It is meant to be comprehensive training and education, not just a single training session or module.
This clearly shows that organizational leaders need to take an active role in developing more comprehensive strategies to transform awareness into understanding and map AI understanding to the skills needed to grow their teams.
Almost half of professionals reported that skill gaps within their teams need to be addressed before they can become full contributors to the organization. These skill gaps are often technology or data skills, and may include the ability to use technologies such as GenAI. However, in other cases, gaps may exist in softer skills, areas that are related to technology but are not inherently technical, such as organizational and efficiency skills, interpersonal effectiveness, and higher-order thinking.
Bridging the gap between AI awareness and AI understanding is not the same for every individual and every team. The most effective leaders are those who take the time to identify where those gaps exist and determine specific use cases where AI can be leveraged to fill those shortcomings. as 2025 Future of the Professional Report But taking this time can yield tangible results, both in making the most of these new technologies and helping professionals reach their true potential in an AI-powered future.
