In a previous blog, we explored the leadership gap in AI adoption; the missing strategies, ownership, and clarity slowing progress before it begins. But strategy isn’t the only hurdle.

For many organisations, the real blockers are messy, overlapping, and deeply human: fear, confusion, misalignment, and a general sense of “we’re not ready yet.”

In our latest survey of 864 professionals across Australia and New Zealand, we asked what’s standing in the way of progress. The answers paint a clear picture: while the potential of AI is huge, the practical challenges are still very real.

Strategy gaps continue to stall progress

When asked about the biggest obstacles their organisation faces in keeping up with AI:

• 41.0% said “no strategy”
• 40.6% said “unclear goals”
• 34.4% said “lack of clear ownership”

This is a leadership problem, not a tech one.

You can’t build with AI until you know what you’re building for. And right now, many organisations are still waiting for that direction to come from the top.

“Waiting on strategic policy and approval before AI can be implemented and risks mitigated,” one respondent shares with us.

It’s a sentiment echoed across industries: people want to move, they’re just waiting for direction.

Fear and fatigue are real, and so is trust

AI isn’t just a technical shift, it’s an emotional one. For some employees, the potential of AI feels like a threat rather than an opportunity. And that shapes how it’s received, even in pilot stages.

“I’ve found a resistance from the team due to a concern around job security,” said one participant.

When people don’t understand how AI fits into their role, or worry it could replace them, enthusiasm quickly turns into quiet pushback. The data backs this up:

• 46.2% cite “security or compliance concerns” as the biggest barrier
• 10.3% point to “lack of trust”
• 15.3% say there’s “no training”, which only worsens that anxiety

Burnout, not optimism

A surprising theme emerged in some open-ended responses: fatigue. For many, tech-enabled “productivity” hasn’t always delivered better outcomes, just more pressure.

“Productivity improvements have never helped in the past,” one respondent wrote. “They’ve just led to higher expectations and burnout. AI is not a way forward as a society if we don’t fundamentally rethink our systems.”

It’s a powerful reminder that even the best tools won’t succeed if they’re layered on top of broken processes or disconnected cultures.

The blockers aren’t always what you’d expect

Some of the most-cited reasons for slow adoption weren’t deeply technical, they were practical and immediate:

• Limited budget – 36.6%
• Lack of relevance to my work – 16.8%
• Lack of access to tools – 11.5%

This matters, because it tells us AI isn’t failing because it’s complicated, it’s failing because it hasn’t been meaningfully integrated. If employees don’t see how AI helps them, or they can’t get to the tools at all, progress stops before it starts.

So, what now?

The first step isn’t buying tools, it’s creating space for clarity, communication, and small wins. This might mean:

• Bringing departments into strategy-setting conversations
• Addressing fears head-on through honest leadership
• Investing in real training that shows how AI can make work better, not just faster

Because when blockers are this human, the solutions need to be too.

Access our free report here to explore what’s really slowing AI down and how to start moving forward with clarity and confidence.

What would you take a pay cut for?

It’s the kind of question that sparks a quick gut response but, when you sit with it, the answer gets complicated. For workers across Australia and New Zealand, the trade-offs between salary, wellbeing, flexibility, and values have never been sharper.

According to LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence Index, nearly one in three Australians (32%) say they’d be willing to compromise on their salary if it meant more flexibility. The same number (31%) would do it for stronger values alignment, while 29% would accept less money for a more reasonable workload.

The story slightly shifts when we look at our own survey of 760 professionals. Flexibility ranked lower, with just 23% saying they’d take a pay cut for it. A bigger share of 35% said they’d do it for work-life balance and to avoid burnout. Only 4% cared enough about values alignment to trade salary, while a blunt 38% made it clear: “Pay cut? Hard pass.”

The reality check

The comments from our survey tell a bigger story about trust, trade-offs, and the limits of compromise. A few standouts:

• “Do the top brass ever get asked this question?”
• “I have taken a pay cut when I could get a better work-life balance… but most people need the money as cost of living is not reducing.”
• “I’ll take values alignment, work life balance and flexibility — and expect a pay rise because my productivity will be higher.”
• “Why would anyone take a cut in pay… when you know the CEO and most of the C-suite are still making bank off your personal efforts? Wake up people and demand what you are worth.”

The sentiment is clear: while people want balance and flexibility, they’re not naïve about the financial pressures they’re under, nor the inequities they see in executive pay. Salary remains a non-negotiable foundation and in today’s economy, many feel they shouldn’t have to choose between being paid fairly and working in a way that sustains them.

Flexibility is still king, but context matters

Since COVID, flexibility has stayed firmly in the “candidate need” category. But our teams see nuance emerging across regions:

• In Canberra, Managing Director Rob Ning notes: “While flexibility is still a number one priority, we’re seeing more people being open to full-time office work if all other conditions are right.”
• In Auckland, New Zealand Country Manager Kara Smith adds: “Remote work and work flexibility is still a strong preference. But employers are increasingly requesting 3-4 days in-office. The hybrid tension is back.”

In other words, employees are still prioritising flexibility but it isn’t an automatic “work from home or bust” equation anymore. The conversation is shifting toward how flexibility is structured, and whether it actually helps people live and work better.

Enter: the four-day workweek

This is where the four-day workweek lands. Despite some companies retreating from their experiments, a new Resolve Political Monitor poll shows two-thirds of Australians (66%) support the idea of moving to four days. An almost equal share (64%) back the idea of enshrining flexible work rights in law.

This tracks closely with the priorities we heard in our own survey. Workers are open to new models if it means more balance and less burnout, but they don’t want to see their pay packets shrink to make it happen.

Employers toying with a four-day week as a cost-saving exercise (by trimming pay alongside hours) risk missing the point entirely. As one respondent put it: “If I am asked to take a pay cut, what’s your trade-off?” Workers are watching for genuine investment in wellbeing, not sleight-of-hand productivity hacks.

What employers should take away

The lesson here isn’t that employees are unwilling to bend as many already have; taking lower-paid NGO roles for values alignment, or trading salary for more sustainable workloads. The lesson is that pay cuts are not the lever to pull if you want to win trust, loyalty, and discretionary effort.

Instead, forward-looking employers should be asking:

• How can we offer flexibility that truly supports work-life balance, not just “two days at home”?
• What structural changes, like a four-day workweek, could reduce burnout without reducing pay?
• Are we listening to employee sentiment and closing the perception gap between what workers want and what leaders assume they want?
• How do we address the equity issue when employees see executives rewarded while they’re asked to sacrifice?

In short: workers aren’t against change. They’re against compromise that feels one-sided.

The bottom line

Australians are clear about what they’d like to see: balance, flexibility, and fair workloads. They’re also clear about what they won’t accept: sacrificing pay while living costs rise and executives continue to profit.

The four-day workweek is part of that bigger story and not just a headline trend, but a signal that employees are hungry for smarter ways of working that don’t come at the expense of their wallets.

If you want to know what else our teams on the ground are seeing in the market, get in touch with our experts.

Australian salaries in 2025

From 1 July 2025, the national minimum wage rose by 3.5%, following the Fair Work Commission’s 2024-25 Annual Wage Review. The new rate will be $948.00 per week, or $24.95 per hour. While this increase provides a boost to lower-income earners, most professionals across Australia and New Zealand are seeing little to no change in salaries compared to last year.

Despite ongoing skills shortages in areas like tech, healthcare, and engineering (and cost of living), wage growth has remained sluggish across the broader workforce. So, what’s really happening in the market?

Economic stability leading to salary correction

The rapid wage hikes that emerged post-pandemic, particularly in high-demand industries, are now flattening. Employers who once felt pressured to offer inflated salaries to secure talent are recalibrating to more sustainable pay structures.

As Katie Kemp, Senior Consultant at Talent Wellington, explains:

“I would suggest that salaries are self-correcting. The pandemic and the perception of people scarcity has passed as the market turns to favour employers; so, rather than flattening, we are seeing salaries come to be more realistic and in line with the expectation of the role and a candidate’s experience.”

At the same time, economic stability is starting to return. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) expects inflation to settle back into the target range of 2–3% by 2025–26. While positive for stability, businesses remain cautious as higher borrowing costs and tighter budgets limit room for generous pay rises.

Alan Dowdall, Practice Lead at Talent Sydney, adds:

“While niche tech skills remain in high demand which calls for competitive rates, overall, salaries remain flat. Clients are consistently asking for salary and market insights to ensure they’re getting value for money, and that seems to be the attitude for most employers who need to stick to their budgets.”

Australian wage growth slowing across the board

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, public sector wages rose by only 0.8% in the December quarter of 2024 — a significant slowdown compared to recent years. The Australian Industry Group also forecasts wage growth to ease from 4.1% to 3.9% by the end of 2025–26.

This slowdown is mirrored in private industry. As Edwin Foo, Principal Account Manager at Talent Perth, explains:

“I don’t foresee IT salaries decreasing despite the measured slow-down in annual wage growth. More notably rather, IT roles and positions that become less in demand during the course of 2025–26 will likely remain stagnant, whilst in-demand skill sets within areas of Cybersecurity, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for example, will continue to trend upwards due to ongoing shortages, and so depending on the IT specialisation, the wage growth experienced will be relative.”

Another factor at play is the shift from contract to permanent and fixed-term hiring. During the pandemic, contract roles offered lucrative salaries. In today’s market, many professionals are moving back into permanent roles — often with steadier but lower pay.

As Jacaleen Williams, Senior Consultant at Talent Wellington, puts it:

“There’s a mix in the market in terms of expectation and reality. Some areas saw salaries inflated/over-inflated around COVID times, and there is some flattening happening now. The decrease in contracting opportunities has seen people need to switch back to permanent or fixed-term positions.”

What professionals can do

For employees facing stagnating salaries, the lesson is clear: adaptability is key.

Edwin highlights the importance of staying ahead:

“The lesson here, is for IT candidates to remain on the front foot when it comes to upskilling themselves, and pivoting pathways if need be, in order to ensure that they are future-proofing their careers and maximising the salaries that they earn.”

If you’re looking to boost your career prospects in 2025, consider:

• Upskilling in high-demand areas such as data analytics, cybersecurity, and cloud computing

• Negotiating perks like bonuses, professional development budgets, or additional leave

• Exploring roles where demand remains high and skills shortages persist

While headline salary growth may be slowing, opportunities still exist for those who are proactive, adaptable, and skilled in the right areas. The 2025 wage landscape may not deliver the dramatic increases of recent years, but with the right approach, professionals can still position themselves strongly for future growth.

For more of the latest information on the hiring market, top salaries, skills in demand, and more, head to our More than Money Salary Guide 2025.

Almost half of the organisations we surveyed (47.6%) say their current stage of AI adoption is “experimental” or “pilot”, and our experts say this is more a sign of progress than it is of failure.

Despite the hype, AI isn’t a plug-and-play solution. The jump from running a prompt in ChatGPT to deploying AI in a secure, production-ready environment is huge. As Jack Jorgensen, Data, AI & Innovation General Manager at our project delivery arm Avec, puts it:

“There’s a big difference between punching in a search query and building something deterministic and robust enough to run in production systems.”

In other words: it’s easy to experiment with AI, but much harder to operationalise it.

The pilot phase: What’s really going on

When AI went mainstream, business leaders rushed to explore how it might improve productivity, automate tasks, and reshape work. But most quickly hit a wall. Why? Because the magic wears off when you move from ideation to implementation.

Jack assures business leaders, “Having organisations stuck in that pilot stage isn’t a bad thing. It means they’re going out and finding the limitations of the technology and where it can be applied really well.”

This experimental period isn’t just about proving AI works. It’s about learning:

• Where it doesn’t work
• Where your data isn’t good enough
• Where processes aren’t ready, and
• Where your people need upskilling

This discovery stage is critical to uncover what needs fixing before scaling, and will help businesses avoid wasting time and budget building the wrong thing.

The risks of skipping this step

In the rush to “not fall behind,” some organisations are pushing AI into production too fast. That often leads to:

• Tool sprawl and shadow AI
• Security breaches (like the now-infamous CRM upload into ChatGPT)
• Oversold outcomes with underwhelming results, and
• Burnt-out teams working with systems they don’t trust or understand

As Jack puts it, “If you’re jumping in without looking, you’re probably going to break your ankles on the way into the pool.”

The smart move is to slow down, run your pilots, and get clear on the problem you’re trying to solve.

What good looks like in the experimental phase

Here’s what leading organisations are doing right now:

• Running small pilots with clearly scoped outcomes
• Auditing internal AI usage to assess risk and opportunity
• Building foundational data and security infrastructure
• Educating teams on prompt design, ethics, and governance
• Documenting learnings to shape future strategy

This time is your opportunity to build AI capability without breaking things.

Final thought: Pilot is not a plateau

Staying in pilot mode doesn’t mean you’re behind. It means you’re taking it seriously. Rushing to production with shaky data, no security posture, and no clear goals? That’s what real failure looks like.

As JP Browne, Practice Manager from our branch in Auckland, states: “Pilot mode isn’t the problem. It’s the companies skipping this step who are going to run into trouble.”

If your organisation is experimenting with AI right now, you’re exactly where you should be.

Want to find out what else our AI survey revealed? Access the full report.

If you’re looking to build internal AI capability or make your first AI hire, get in touch with our team. Or if your business is ready to kick off a data, AI or innovation project, drop a message to Jack’s team at Avec.

AI isn’t optional anymore. It’s here, it’s moving fast, and the pressure to act is growing. But what’s the reality inside organisations across Australia and New Zealand?

We asked 864 business leaders and technology professionals how their teams are preparing for AI. What we found was revealing: while belief in AI’s potential is high, true readiness is rare, and strategy is the missing piece.

Only 1 in 20 say their organisation is responding “extremely well” to AI

Just 4.9% of survey participants feel their organisation is responding to the changing AI landscape “extremely well”. While nearly a third say their company is doing “quite well,” the most common response was neutral. A lack of clarity and ownership is holding many back.

“There is an executive urgency,” said one respondent, “but our leaders lack vision and strategic thinking.”

Despite AI dominating conversations, only 16.7% of participants say it’s treated as a high strategic priority. In fact, nearly a quarter aren’t sure how AI is prioritised at all.

These numbers paint a clear picture: most organisations are still in reactive mode, watching the hype unfold and unsure how to move forward.

Experimentation is happening, but often in silos

While some teams are getting hands-on with AI, few have an organisation-wide strategy. Only 30.2% of respondents say their company has a dedicated team working on AI initiatives. The rest either don’t, aren’t sure, or are still in the planning stage.

“With only 36% of organisations currently dedicating teams to AI initiatives,” says Tom Mackintosh, Managing Director of Solve by Talent, “this leaves a huge opportunity for the other 64% to catch up and leverage its potential. Building the right AI teams can transform businesses from improving efficiency to driving innovation, the opportunities can be endless.”

When we asked who’s currently driving AI adoption, the responses were scattered:

• 31% said IT or tech departments
• 18.4% said individual departments are experimenting independently
• Just 16.7% said executive leadership is leading the charge

The result? A lot of isolated activity, but little cohesion. AI is being tested, but not yet scaled.

As Cameron Robinson, Head of Enterprise Solutions at Solve by Talent, puts it:

“The leaders making the greatest inroads implementing AI are the ones who’ve educated themselves about the opportunity it presents and are firmly glass-half-full about a future where AI is commonplace.

“They also aren’t sitting waiting for someone else to make a decision. They see the opportunity to bring a change for good in their own job, team and department, let alone the whole company, and they are taking action to capitalise on it.”

The strategy gap is stalling transformation

We asked what areas companies plan to transform with AI in the next 12 months. Nearly half of respondents (47.8%) said they “aren’t sure”. That uncertainty stands in stark contrast to the 90% of business leaders who believe AI will positively impact their teams in the next two years.

It’s not that organisations don’t care, it’s that many seem to not know where to start.

“The hype drowns out the noise,” one business leader told us. “I need an AI strategy like I need a stapler strategy or an office chair strategy. These are tools to achieve aims, not aims in themselves.”

Workforce planning is lagging behind

Despite growing headlines about AI-driven change, most organisations aren’t yet integrating AI into their workforce strategies:

• Only 12.3% plan to hire a dedicated AI specialist or leader
• Only 12.1% are actively using AI to evolve roles or reduce manual work
• 22.9% say AI isn’t impacting their workforce planning at all

But for those starting to explore the shift, the focus is turning to skills, particularly in data, infrastructure, and platform engineering.

“Implementing AI doesn’t mean you need to immediately go and hire a team of people who know how to build AI agents,” says Cameron Robinson, Head of Enterprise Solutions at Solve by Talent. “To start with, you can implement AI well by simply ensuring you’ve got a good handle on what AI-enabled features and functionality your current (and future) tech vendors and advisory partners are already capable of delivering for you.”

“Embracing AI is not optional,” said one respondent. “You will be putting yourself at a disadvantage if you don’t.”

This isn’t a tech problem, it’s a leadership one

AI is a tool, but it’s a tool that forces change. The challenge now is strategic: aligning teams, clarifying goals, and leading with intent.

Leadership means:

• Setting a clear direction and aligning AI with business priorities
• Empowering teams to experiment safely and share learnings
• Investing in foundational skills, not just flashy tools
• Creating space for ethical, thoughtful AI adoption, and not just speed

The organisations doing this well are already seeing momentum build. The rest have an opportunity to catch up, but time is a factor.

If you’re wondering where your team sits in all this, our full report dives deeper into the data from 864 professionals across Australia and New Zealand. You’ll find insight into what’s really happening in workplaces and how to lead the way forward. Access the findings here.

Market Overview

Market Overview

If you’re feeling behind on AI, you’re not alone. According to our latest survey, nearly 48% of organisations say they’re still in the experimental or pilot phase of AI adoption. This figure might sound like a red flag but according to our experts, it’s a natural and necessary step.

In our most recent webinar, ‘What’s next: How is AI really changing the way we work?’, we unpacked the realities of AI adoption with two sharp minds in tech and recruitment: JP Browne, Practice Lead from Talent Auckland, and Jack Jorgensen, General Manager – Data, AI & Innovation at Avec, our IT consultancy arm. Together, they explored the real blockers, risks, and opportunities leaders need to wrap their heads around in 2025.

1. Most companies are still figuring it out

The gap between AI hype and delivery is wide, and tinkering with tools like ChatGPT doesn’t mean your business is ready to run AI in production. As Jack points out, “There’s a big difference between punching in a search query and building something deterministic and robust enough to run in enterprise systems […] Having organisations stuck in that pilot stage isn’t a bad thing. It means they’re finding the limitations of the tech and discovering what it can actually do well”

The main takeaway both experts emphasised were: Don’t rush to a “full rollout.” Use the pilot phase to build guardrails, clean up your data, and decide what AI is actually for in your business.

2. Executive urgency doesn’t equal ownership

Our recent AI survey found that for 31% of organisations, IT or technology departments are seen as the primary drivers of AI adoption. Alternatively, Jack has observed that, “IT isn’t driving AI, they’re just putting up the guardrails. However, because execs don’t know who should own it, they’re lumping it in tech’s lap.”

According to JP, “For the first time ever, I’ve got IT leaders saying, ‘We can’t implement what you want until we’ve fixed security and infrastructure.’” 41% of leaders say their biggest blockers are lack of strategy and unclear goals. Execs want AI yesterday but, without a clear owner or roadmap, most strategies stall.

The result? IT teams are stuck between enabling the business and playing the bad guy. And without a cohesive plan, budgets dry up fast.

3. People are nervous

In the webinar, JP stated, “You can’t bury your head in the sand. AI’s affecting workflows and job design, and people are understandably unsure where they fit.” However, in the midst of such concerns, Jack reassured, “I’m seeing less job displacement and more evolution. But we need to be honest about where AI changes the game.”

The fear around AI is real, and it isn’t just about job losses. Our AI survey showed:

• 60% are concerned about ethics or compliance risks
• 58% fear loss of human oversight
• 57% worry about inaccuracy and hallucinations

Business leaders need to address these fears head-on, not just with reassurance but with transparent, actionable education.

4. Security is the #1 barrier – and that’s a good thing

46.2% of leaders said security concerns are the top reason they’re cautious about AI, and our experts say that’s the right instinct. Between real-world data breaches and shadow AI usage, the risks are everywhere.

“If I could rate that 46% stat above 100%, I would. Security and compliance should be front of mind. Full stop,” shared Jack.

From accidental uploads of entire CRMs into ChatGPT (yes, that really happened) to AI-generated code opening up backdoors for attackers, this is not the time to “move fast and break things.”

5. AI is quietly changing workforce planning

The shift is subtle, but it’s coming. One in four leaders say they’re actively exploring how AI might reshape the roles they hire for and 12.1% surveyed are already using it to reduce manual work.

As a longtime recruiter in New Zealand, JP shares his observations, “We’re not seeing mass hiring of AI engineers, but we are seeing increased demand for system engineers and data people.” While AI isn’t replacing people yet, it is changing the kind of people you need.

Conclusion: AI readiness is a journey, not a silver bullet

From security fears to strategy gaps, the state of AI in business today is still murky, but that’s not a reason to stall. As Jack puts it, “If you’re jumping in without looking, you’re probably going to break your ankles. But if you plan, pilot, and build velocity? That’s the win.”

So, the real question isn’t whether AI should be part of your business because it already is, but do you know where, how, and why it’s showing up?

Want to find out what else our AI survey revealed? Access the full report.

If you’re looking to build internal capability or make your first AI hire, get in touch with our team.

Or is your business ready to kick off a data, AI or innovation project? Drop a message to Jack’s team at Avec.

August 2025 – Leading recruitment company Talent today announced the evolution of its decade-old social enterprise, now operating under the name Rise by Talent, to address the rapidly changing entry-level employment landscape and critical skills shortages in the technology sector.

The rebrand from Talent Rise to Rise by Talent coincides with a strategic shift to meet growing demand for diverse tech talent as artificial intelligence transforms traditional career pathways. With Australia requiring 1.2 million additional tech workers by 2030 and education gaps in New Zealand, the initiative scales proven approaches to unlock untapped potential in underrepresented communities.

Proven track record of impact

Over the past decade, the program has demonstrated measurable success in bridging diversity gaps in technology careers:

• Australia and New Zealand combined: Thousands of lives changed through comprehensive employment pathways
• New Zealand specifically: 136 rangatahi graduated, achieving a 93% employment success rate
• Industry recognition: 2025 NZ Hi-Tech Award winner for Best Contribution to the Tech Sector

“The landscape is changing and so are we,” said Mark Nielsen, CEO of Talent Global. “After 30 years in recruitment, we know talented people get locked out just because they don’t have the right connections. Rise by Talent takes everything we’ve learned about what employers actually need and applies it where it’s needed most.”

Addressing critical skills gaps

Rise by Talent specifically targets the intersection of three major workforce challenges:

1. Skills shortage crisis: Australia’s need for 1.2 million additional tech workers by 2030, with proportional shortages across New Zealand
2. Entry-level transformation: AI reshaping traditional career pathways, requiring new approaches to workforce development
3. Diversity deficit: Systemic barriers preventing Indigenous, Māori, and Pacific Islander talent from accessing technology careers

In New Zealand, where only 30% of the population holds bachelor’s degrees or higher, Rise by Talent sees 70% untapped potential in communities historically underrepresented in tech sectors.

Innovative Program Design

The initiative goes beyond traditional diversity programs by providing:

• Skills-based training focused on capabilities AI cannot replace
• Real work experience with technology companies committed to inclusive hiring
• Cultural confidence development alongside professional skills
• Genuine career pathways rather than short-term placements
• 6-month fully funded internships leading to permanent employment opportunities

Kara Smith, Managing Director of Talent New Zealand, emphasizes the cultural authenticity of the approach: “We are a local Aotearoa business with a diverse team and the resources of a global market leader. This combination allows us to provide deep understanding of local talent markets while fostering genuine pathways for rangatahi in both recruitment and technology industries.”

Scaling proven success

Unlike traditional corporate diversity initiatives, Rise by Talent is backed by Talent’s unique funding model where the company covers all operational overheads, ensuring 100% of external funds raised directly support participants. This approach has enabled consistent program delivery and measurable outcomes over a decade.

The program’s flagship Hawaiki Tech initiative in New Zealand exemplifies this comprehensive approach, providing 12-week employment readiness programs with over 200 hours of training, 80 hours of work experience, and direct placement support with technology companies.

Industry partnership model

Rise by Talent works exclusively with employers committed to authentic diversity rather than quota-filling exercises. Partner companies gain access to:

• Motivated talent with proven work ethic and cultural confidence
• Diverse perspectives that drive innovation and improve profitability
• Skills-ready candidates prepared for roles AI cannot replace
• Ongoing support ensuring successful long-term placements

“Traditional grad programs are stuck on repeat – same schools, same networks, same surnames,” noted Megan Woodbury, COO of Talent. “We’re using our position in the industry to create real pathways for people who have the talent but not the networks.”

Future expansion plans

Building on proven success, Rise by Talent plans continued expansion across both Australia and New Zealand, with particular focus on:

• Regional program delivery beyond current Auckland and Wellington operations
• School pathway programs introducing technology careers to younger students
• Enhanced industry partnerships with technology companies committed to inclusive hiring
• Knowledge sharing initiatives to inspire sector-wide change

The evolution to Rise by Talent represents more than a rebrand – it signals a strategic commitment to scaling impact as the technology landscape continues its rapid transformation.

“AI is the future and it is going to revolutionise how we think and work. This is only going to complement the human intelligence.”

That was one response from our recent survey of 864 professionals across Australia and New Zealand and it captures a sentiment that’s becoming more common: hopeful, but grounded in reality.

If there’s one thing leaders need to know as they bring AI into their organisations, it’s this: how your people feel about AI will shape how they use it. Perception is a powerful predictor of engagement and understanding it can help you unlock momentum while avoiding resistance.

Cautious optimism is the dominant mood

We asked survey participants how they felt about the future of AI in their industry.
More than half (52.6%) said they’re “cautiously optimistic”.

That means they see the potential. But they’re also watching for risks.

Another 29.9% said they’re “excited” about AI’s future. Just 6.4% reported feeling “concerned”, and fewer still (0.5%) said they feel “overwhelmed”.

When asked how AI might impact their own roles in the next two years:

• 29.9% expected a “very positive” impact
• 47.9% expected a “somewhat positive” impact
• Only 7.7% expected any kind of “negative” impact

These numbers matter. They suggest your people aren’t afraid of AI, but they do want clarity. They want to know where the organisation is headed, how it affects their role, and what’s being done to make it a success.

“We cannot ignore a change that’s already here,” said one survey participant.
“AI is a solution to some business needs, it is not an objective or self-evident value proposition in its own right,” said another.

The leadership challenge: Earning trust before asking for change

Despite growing familiarity with AI, most organisations haven’t communicated a clear strategy and many aren’t actively involving their teams. In our wider survey:

• Only 16.7% of respondents said AI is a “high strategic priority” in their organisation
• Only 12.3% are planning to hire a dedicated AI specialist or leader
• Nearly 48% said they’re not sure where AI will be used in the business over the next 12 months

In other words, while employees are increasingly open to AI, most organisations haven’t told them what’s coming or how to prepare.

That’s a missed opportunity.

When leaders fail to engage with sentiment, they risk:

• Creating fear where curiosity exists
• Sparking resistance where trust could be built
• Missing out on grassroots innovation from teams ready to experiment

But when they get it right — when they listen, involve, and communicate — the payoff is huge. Teams begin to look for opportunities, not just instructions. They start solving problems with AI, not just waiting to be told how.

What can leaders do right now?

Start with these steps:

1. Test the waters. Don’t assume you know how people feel, ask.

2. Name the risks, but don’t feed the fear. Acknowledge concerns but balance them with possibility.

3. Make it practical. AI should feel like a tool, not a threat. Communicate use cases, not just ambition.

4. Show you’re in it together. Whether it’s training, experimentation, or role design, clarity builds trust.

One respondent goes as far to say, “AI is nothing more than marketing hype.”

Whether that’s true or not depends on what happens next. With the right leadership, AI can move from buzzword to business value, from doubt to momentum.

Want to know how AI is changing the way we work across Australia and New Zealand?

Download our full report based on responses from 864 business leaders and tech specialists and uncover the trends shaping the next chapter of work. Access the full dataset here.

In a world where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries by the day, how ready are we really?

To find out, we surveyed 864 professionals across Australia and New Zealand, including Chief Execs, HR leaders, and tech specialists, about their experiences, expectations, and concerns around AI. The results reveal a mix of excitement and uncertainty, optimism and hesitation. In short: the AI shift is here, but many are still finding their footing.

Confidence is low but belief is high

Over 90% of business leaders believe AI will positively impact their teams within the next two years. But when asked how well their organisation is responding to this change, just 5% said “extremely well.” That’s a gap worth paying attention to.

“We’re seeing two extremes,” says JP Browne, Practice Manager from our office in Auckland. “In some companies, AI tools are already being used on the ground, but leadership is scrambling to put the right controls in place. In others, execs are racing ahead out of FOMO, and tech teams are having to slow them down to make sure it’s the right solution.”

In both cases, the need for clarity, structure and strategy is clear. This isn’t just about embracing new tools, it’s about aligning people, processes, and platforms around a shared vision for the future.

More defence than offence

One in three organisations in our survey have already implemented policies restricting external AI tools, a sign that risk awareness is high. But in many boardrooms, fear is still outweighing forward thinking.

Rather than asking “How can we lead with AI?”, the question for many remains “How do we contain it?”

This caution is especially apparent in highly regulated sectors. As JP explains:

“Insurance, for example, is cautiously optimistic. They’re exploring AI but always keeping a human in the loop. Nobody wants to be the company on the front page because a bot denied a claim.”

Strategy, skills and leadership: the missing pieces

So, what’s holding organisations back? According to our data, the top three blockers are:

• No clear strategy – 41% of respondents say their organisation hasn’t defined a direction for AI.
• Skills gaps – while 52% of organisations are offering training, many teams are still catching up.
• Unclear ownership and goals – 34% say there’s no clear owner for AI, and 41% report unclear goals.

“The biggest shift we’re seeing in hiring isn’t just for AI Engineers,” says JP. “It’s for the roles that support AI behind the scenes. Data Engineers, Infrastructure Engineers, platform specialists who can enable the functionality in AWS, Microsoft, Salesforce and so on. That foundation is everything.”

Interestingly, only 12% of organisations are planning to hire an AI leader in the next 12-18 months, which suggests many are still unsure of how to structure their approach.

Agentic AI is coming and workers are wary

As AI tools become more autonomous, the implications for the workforce are getting real. One in four workers in our survey said they’re concerned about job displacement due to agentic AI systems, a tension that may slow down adoption if not addressed head-on.

“This isn’t a tech challenge, it’s a leadership challenge,” says Jack Jorgensen, Data, AI & Innovation Practice Lead from our consultancy arm, Avec. “Organisations need to move beyond fear-based narratives. That means involving their people, investing in relevant training, and being transparent about the intent behind every AI initiative.”

Where to from here?

If there’s one takeaway from this research, it’s that no one has it all figured out, and that’s okay. AI transformation doesn’t have to be perfect to begin. But it does need to begin with purpose.

That means building AI into your strategy, not just your tech stack. It means empowering teams to experiment, not just comply. And it means treating people, their concerns, their skills, and their potential, as central to the journey, not a barrier to it.

If you’re curious to explore more of what we learned from 864 professionals across Australia and New Zealand, you can access the full findings in our free report here.

“AI is a tool and only brings what has been inputted into it,  humans bring creativity and discretion.”

The message from workers is clear: AI won’t replace people, but people who understand how to use AI will be better positioned to thrive.

And right now, most teams are still early in that journey.

Our latest survey of 864 business leaders and tech professionals across Australia and New Zealand shows that while AI is gaining traction in the workplace, the skills needed to use it confidently and responsibly are still catching up.

Training is happening but, for most, it’s basic at best. The result? A lot of curiosity, and a whole lot of untapped potential.

Skill levels are rising… slowly

When we asked participants to rate their current skill level using AI tools:

• Just 2.3% identified as “experts”
• 11.3% said “advanced”
• The majority sat at “intermediate” (36.5%) or “beginner” (43.7%)

This isn’t surprising in such a fast-moving field but it does highlight the need for structured support, especially with AI tools evolving week to week.

“I firmly believe that it’s through knowledge, research, and learning that people are able to develop their AI readiness skills.”

Training is happening, but most of it isn’t sticking

The good news? Most organisations are starting to take action:

• 52.4% of organisations said they’re offering some form of AI training (44.5% limited, 7.9% comprehensive)

But when we asked individuals if they had completed any training:

• 68.2% said “no”
• And just 4.4% had completed “comprehensive” training

Even among those who had received training, only 7.7% found it “extremely relevant” to their work. The disconnect suggests many training efforts are still too broad, too theoretical, or poorly timed.

It’s one thing to roll out training and it’s another to make it useful. Teams need learning that is contextual, practical, and directly tied to how they work.

Confidence gaps are slowing progress

What we’re seeing is a classic enablement gap.

The tools exist. The appetite is there. But without real capability building, usage stays shallow.

And when people aren’t confident, they hesitate or, worse, they misuse the tools. That holds back experimentation and fuels the kind of fear that makes governance trickier than it needs to be.

As one participant put it:

“It will be hard to know whether people have capability and can think strategically when everything is done for them.”

The goal isn’t to create AI experts in every role. It’s to build a workforce that’s comfortable, capable, and ready to use AI with discretion and clarity in ways that support their goals, not distract from them.

So, what should leaders do now?

If you’re serious about using AI to gain a competitive edge, upskilling can’t be an afterthought. It has to be part of your core strategy.

This means:

• Offering hands-on, role-specific learning – not just AI awareness
• Creating space for safe experimentation
• Recognising that enablement is a journey and not a one-off webinar

Because when people feel empowered, not overwhelmed, the quality of AI use goes up and so does trust in your broader business strategies.

Want to find out how your organisation compares? Download the full survey findings here to explore how others are approaching AI adoption, skills, and strategy.