Half of CHROs Don't Trust Their Managers to Lead AI Adoption — and the Data Backs Them Up
The News
A Gallup survey of 102 CHROs on its Global CHRO Roundtable, reported by HR Dive on August 19, found that half lack confidence that managers in their organisations can guide employees in using AI at work. In response, 57% of CHROs said they were providing AI training specifically for people managers, and 62% reported creating 'centres of excellence' and 'internal AI champions' to support adoption. More than three-quarters were encouraging peer learning and AI experimentation. The findings echo a July ManpowerGroup report in which only 3% of executives — CHROs included — described their leaders as 'highly prepared' to direct AI adoption, and an Indeed/YouGov survey finding that 43% of managers felt poorly or completely unequipped to lead AI transformation.Why It Matters
Your AI hiring strategy is only as effective as the managers who execute it. If half of CHROs do not trust their managers to guide AI use, and only 3% consider their leaders 'highly prepared,' the gap between what your TA team is deploying — AI screening tools, automated scheduling, agentic sourcing — and what hiring managers can actually use is the single biggest risk to your ROI. The CHROs investing in manager-specific AI training and internal champions are not being cautious. They are addressing the exact bottleneck that determines whether your AI investment delivers value or collects dust.Taking Action
All action is situated in your corporate context. These are starting points, not prescriptions — choose what fits.
Connect
Who to talk with in your enterprise
Your L&D or talent development lead: ask whether your AI training programme distinguishes between manager-facing and individual-contributor-facing content. Gallup's data suggests the managerial gap is distinct and needs targeted intervention, not a one-size-fits-all course. Your most senior hiring managers: the ManpowerGroup finding that only 3% feel 'highly prepared' is a conversation starter. Ask your hiring managers directly how confident they feel using AI tools in the hiring process — the answer may be less reassuring than you expect.Inspect
What to take a closer look at
Check the completion rates of any AI training you have already rolled out to hiring managers. If the uptake is low or the content is generic, you are in the same position Gallup's respondents describe: deploying AI tools without equipping the people who decide how they are used. Review whether your 'AI champions' programme — if you have one — actually reaches into the hiring manager population, or whether it is confined to the TA team itself.Reflect
What to think about more deeply
If your organisation has invested in AI hiring tools but has not invested in training the managers who use them, have you really adopted AI — or have you just licensed it? The gap between procurement and capability may be the most expensive line item in your AI budget, and it is the one nobody is auditing.