SMBs Attract Talent with AI Upskilling as Large Firms Cut Jobs and Benefits, Study Finds
SMBs Attract Talent with AI Upskilling as Large Firms Cut Jobs and Benefits, Study Finds
General Assembly study finds role-specific AI training is the most effective approach for SMBs
NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 18, 2026 / Small-to-medium employers (SMBs) see their human talent as a key area of investment for the AI era and are seeing strong impact from role-specific AI training, according to new research from General Assembly, a global leader in practical AI skills training.
Layoff and benefit reductions at larger companies have made it easier for SMBs to recruit and retain top talent, say 81% of human resources (HR) leaders at SMBs, while nearly half (47%) of SMBs have already hired from larger firms in the past year.
"Growth-stage companies see AI adoption as a catalyst, not a cost-cutting exercise," said Daniele Grassi, CEO of General Assembly. "They're able to move faster to implement AI and scale it quickly, and they're upskilling their workforces accordingly. As talent sees daily headlines around layoffs and benefit reductions, they're increasingly looking for opportunities with organizations who see human talent as critical to AI transformation. SMBs are seizing the moment."
General Assembly surveyed 526 HR and learning and development (L&D) leaders at companies in the United States and the United Kingdom with 50 to 999 employees in June and July 2026.
SMBs Evolve Talent Strategies for the AI Era
HR leaders report that they are evolving their talent strategies for the AI era, changing how they hire, onboard and develop talent as 87% already say they are seeing ROI from AI.
66% say their talent strategies have changed because of AI-with 30% hiring more people because of opportunities created by AI.
Two in five SMB HR leaders (40%) say they have passed over an otherwise-qualified candidate because they did not have AI skills.
More than two-thirds of SMBs (67%) plan to hire for additional roles by the end of this year. Nearly three-quarters (72%) now incorporate AI training into new hire onboarding and training.
More than two in five (43%) say their primary goal with AI is to save time, and 36% say it's to drive growth-only 21% have adopted it primarily to reduce costs.
A lack of skills remains the biggest barrier to scaling AI adoption for SMBs, with 32% reporting it as their #1 challenge.
How SMBs Are Closing Their AI Skills Gaps
SMBs see employee satisfaction and retention as key benefits of AI, which can save employees time, improve work-life balance and allow them to focus on more rewarding, strategic or customer-facing aspects of their jobs.
77% of SMBs have invested in AI tools or platforms for employees to use, and 70% have invested in AI skills training for their employees.
53% focus on employee satisfaction and retention as the top indicator that AI investments have been successful, more than the percentage who prioritize the ability to scale (43%), improved customer satisfaction (41%), reduced costs (41%) or employee usage volume (32%).
64% are relying on upskilling existing employees to fill their AI skills gaps, while 25% are hiring new talent with AI skills and 11% are relying on external consultants or agencies.
60% offer broad professional development, education and training benefits, and 26% plan to invest further in professional development benefits in the near future.
Role-Specific Training Is the Most Effective AI Upskilling Strategy for SMBs
When it comes to what SMBs offer their employees in terms of AI upskilling:
51% offer role-specific training for each team or department
50% offer tool-specific training
35% provide employees with a stipend or reimbursement for training outside of work
44% allow employees to experiment with AI on their own during work hours
Many companies offer a mix of upskilling approaches, allowing employees to attend trainings, learn new tools and experiment on the job. Only 3% offer no AI upskilling opportunities at all.
However, more than one-third (35%) say role-specific training has been the most effective approach, followed by 26% who say tool training, 21% who say reimbursing employees for external training and 18% who say on-the-job experimentation.
"It's great to let employees experiment and pursue learning opportunities that interest them, but what we really see, across companies of all sizes that we work with, is that role-specific training has the biggest impact on AI transformation," said Grassi. "Companies are going beyond AI literacy to ensure employees know how to apply AI within the specific workflows of their roles, and how to do so responsibly and strategically."
What Is Role-Specific AI Training?
Role-specific AI training is training tailored to how employees use AI within their specific job functions, such as marketing, engineering or HR. Unlike generic AI literacy or tool-based instruction, role-specific training focuses on real workflows and business outcomes.
For example, in marketing teams, role-specific AI training may focus on campaign analysis, content generation, and performance optimization, while in HR it may focus on recruiting workflows and talent analytics. General Assembly's research shows this approach delivers the strongest impact on AI adoption and performance.
Opportunities Ahead for AI-Powered SMBs
While 71% of SMBs are using generative AI, less than half (46%) use AI-powered automation and only 30% use agentic AI. At the same time, they are spending more on tools (46% of their average AI spend) than AI skills training for employees (34.5% of their AI spend). With more than a quarter (26%) planning to expand professional development benefits in the near future, SMBs have an opportunity to build strong talent and leadership pipelines that enable them to seize new opportunities in the AI era.
"Company-wide role-specific training can help unlock more advanced use cases of AI, such as agentic workflow automation," said Grassi. "SMBs who invest more into training their workforces are poised to recruit and retain high-potential talent so they can grow and scale faster. In today's business landscape, the right AI skills are the competitive advantage that wins."
Dive deeper into the research on General Assembly's blog: https://www.generalassemb.ly/blog/smb-ai-training/
Learn more about General Assembly's role-specific AI training programs at https://www.generalassemb.ly/employers/what-we-teach/ai.
About General Assembly
General Assembly (GA), is the leading talent and upskilling partner that helps businesses acquire the real skills required to succeed in an increasingly complex technological era. Founded in 2011 to make tech-centric jobs accessible to anyone and meet the demand of fast-growing tech companies, GA evolved into a center of excellence in training people from all backgrounds to upgrade their practical knowledge of tech skills now required in every company and in any role. With a global presence, hands-on instruction, and a passionate alumni community, GA gives learners 360-degree support as they take the next step in their career journey. GA matches the right talent to business needs. All day, every day: GA puts real skills to work.
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SOURCE: General Assembly (GA)
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