The Reality Check: Where Organisations Stand on AI Readiness

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The State of Talent Acquisition 2025 report (with insights from 226 Talent Teams across Australia & New Zealand) shows the reality of AI adoption in our field:

  • Only 21% of organisations have a clear AI strategy.
  • Organisational readiness averages 4.4/10, and change readiness 4.7/10.
  • Recruiter capability is lagging too, with just 27% considered AI literate.

Next Steps for AI Organisational Readiness

The State of Talent Acquisition Report 2025 outlines 7 clear priorities for HR/Talent to drive internally.

Why it Matters Now

  • The AI Workforce Consortium reports 78% of ICT roles already require AI skills, yet many Talent Function do not yet have a clear way of assessing AI capability and skills or even a policy on how AI can be used by candidates in the hiring process.
  • The NSW Government’s new Office for AI and the federal AI Adoption Tracker show that AI adoption is accelerating, but strategy and governance often lag, particularly in mid-sized organisations which mirrors our research findings.

The Takeaway

We are just scratching the surface of Organisational AI-Readiness. HR and Talent must work at pace to ensure work design, hiring and impact to people and society are all thoughtfully considered.  We’ll leave you with this quote from Ryan Oakes, Global Health & Public Service Industry Practices Chair, Accenture.

“AI is rapidly reshaping how both government and industry deliver value to the public. To keep pace, we need a workforce fluent in advanced technologies and grounded in the human skills that build public trust. This report calls on government agencies working hand-in-hand with their private-sector partners to invest in upskilling that expands digital and AI data literacy, embeds ethical and secure AI practices, and empowers the public workforce development ecosystem to create better outcomes for the communities they serve. By doing so, we can unlock the full potential of our people and drive economic growth that benefits everyone.”

Download the full State of Talent Acquisition 2025 report to see where your organisation stands and access the complete readiness framework.

 

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