Business
AI Won't Lift Human Productivity Without Learning, New Pearson Research Finds
New research from Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world's lifelong learning company, reveals that the true economic potential of AI will only be realized if employers pair technology investment with continuous learning. The report, "Mind the Learning Gap: The Missing Link in AI's Productivity Promise", released today at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting, finds that augmenting jobs with AI - rather than simply replacing workers – and ensuring employees have the skills needed to work effective
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[{"type":"text","content":"Pairing AI with skilling could add up to $6.6T to the U.S. economy by 2034 and deliver the return on investment businesses want","length":127,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world's lifelong learning company, reveals that the true economic potential of AI will only be realized if employers pair technology investment with continuous learning. The report, "Mind the Learning Gap: The Missing Link in AI's Productivity Promise", released today at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting, finds that augmenting jobs with AI - rather than simply replacing workers – and ensuring employees have the skills needed to work effectively with AI could add between $4.8 trillion and $6.6 trillion to the US economy by 2034. This represents around 15% of current US GDP at the lower range.","length":739,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"image","alt":"AI Won't Lift Human Productivity Without Learning, New Pearson Research Finds","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"AI Won't Lift Human Productivity Without Learning, New Pearson Research Finds","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":400,"height":225,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/3e607ba3a150d8787ad9289d5e27c6eb"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/gILYTlGmw.d25P7p5DBk_Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTM5NztjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/3e607ba3a150d8787ad9289d5e27c6eb","width":400,"height":225}},"href":"https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2863539/Pearson_New_Research.html","hrefExternal":true,"rel":"nofollow"},{"type":"text","content":"The Productivity Paradox: Why AI Alone Isn't Enough","length":55,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Companies are investing billions worldwide on AI infrastructure and models, yet there are few positive examples of enterprise-level productivity gains, outside of coding, that truly help workers and drive ROI. The return on AI investment for companies today is often targeted at replacing workers, driving further uncertainty and worry in workplaces. While many employees report "time saved" through AI, the broader economic uplift remains elusive. Pearson's research reveals that a critical "learning gap" is the ...