Dayforce CPO: HR, 'it’s time to stop watching AI from the sidelines and start building the bridge to business value'

“Enthusiasm alone can’t deliver value” with AI.

That’s a top takeaway from HR tech giant’s Dayforce 16th Pulse of Talent report, which surveyed 7,000 executives, managers and employees across six countries.

Dayforce’s Chief People Officer Amy Cappellanti-Wolf tells UNLEASH her top takeaway from the data is “how wide the gap has grown between AI hype and actual readiness”.

87% of executives are already using AI on the job, compared to 57% of managers and just 27% of workers.

While just a third of executives have not received any AI training in the past year – this jumps to eight in ten and three in five for employees and managers respectively.

Executives are also 30% more likely than workers to trust their employers to use AI responsibly – 58% of employees perceive ethical challenges with AI, which makes sense as only 26% of organizations have a dedicated leader or team overseeing responsible AI.

This isn’t just a gap. It’s a chasm. Leaders are sprinting ahead, while managers and employees risk being left behind,” continues Cappellanti-Wolf.This isn’t just a gap. It’s a chasm. Leaders are sprinting ahead, while managers and employees risk being left behind,” continues Cappellanti-Wolf.

“This disconnect results in higher risk, weaker ROI, and growing anxiety where there should be engagement.”

How can organizations fix this disconnect, overcome the blockers to ROI, and actually see value? UNLEASH explores the full data from Dayfoce with Cappellanti-Wolf.

HR now has the chance to use AI as a true growth engine

It is clear from Dayforce’s data that optimism around AI is high – this is confirmed by other research from the likes of Atlassian, Personio and Workday.

Dayforce found that the workforce seen AI as improving their efficiency and productivity, leaving them more time for high-priority tasks, improving work-life balance, providing more opportunity for learning and development, and driving better decision-making.

However, because of a lack of trust and training, organizations are struggling to truly more the needle from buzz to value.

While three-quarters of executives are confident in their ability to use AI tools well at work, this figure drops to 47% for managers and 23% of workers.

Currently, “the technology is moving fast, but the people and processes surrounding it can’t keep up”, according to Dayforce’s report.

Cappellanti-Wolf tells UNLEASH that “the message is clear” for HR leaders.

“It’s time to stop watching AI from the sidelines and start building the bridge to business value.

“Employees are eager and ready to embrace AI. HR now has the chance not just to reduce uncertainty but to use AI as a true growth engine,” she adds.

“By introducing targeted, role-specific training, creating clear career paths that turn disruption into opportunity, and setting transparent governance practices, HR can transform enthusiasm into performance.

"In doing so, they’ll unlock the full promise of AI for everyone.”