AI skills gap and leadership challenges in focus at talent development summit

Wei Wang

The widening gap between artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and workforce readiness took center stage at a regional leadership summit in Macau yesterday, as industry experts warned that many employees remain underprepared to use AI tools effectively despite growing interest in the technology.

The issue was highlighted at the 2026 ATD x Wynn Asia Leadership Summit being held at Wynn Palace, which gathered more than 200 talent development professionals and executives from across the Asia-Pacific region.

The two-day event focuses on how organizations can prepare leaders and employees for the changing demands of workplaces shaped by AI and digital transformation.

Wei Wang, senior director of ATD Global, told the Times that according ATD’s fourth AI research study, more than 70% of employees report interest in using AI tools, but only around 25% consider themselves proficient.

Speakers said this mismatch is creating operational and training challenges for organizations as AI becomes more embedded in daily workflows.

The research also pointed to emerging developments in workplace technology, including open cloud platforms and rapidly advancing generative AI systems that are reshaping expectations for productivity and skillsets.

Experts at the summit said the proficiency gap poses risks for organizations where employees may adopt AI tools without sufficient understanding, potentially affecting accuracy and decision-making.

They emphasized the need for structured training programs to improve AI literacy across different industries.

“Technology is not going to transform the organization itself. It’s the people,” Wang told the Times. “People are behind all those transformations. So it’s more important than ever to invest in people.”

Wang added that AI should be viewed as a supporting tool rather than a replacement for human capability. “AI is here to support people to do a better job. AI is meant to better serve talent, not to replace talent,” she said.

The summit, co-hosted by ATD and Wynn Macau, was themed “Future-Ready Leaders in the Age of AI” and also examined broader workforce development challenges in the region. Participants included experts from the United States, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Korea, and Greater China, including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.

Discussions also linked talent development trends to Macau’s economic diversification strategy, known as the “4+1” industrial framework, which aims to expand the city’s economic base beyond gaming into sectors such as hospitality, exhibitions, traditional Chinese medicine, and technology.

Speakers said workforce development will be critical to supporting this transition, particularly as Macau strengthens integration with Hengqin and the wider Greater Bay Area. Greater regional connectivity, they noted, is expected to increase demand for cross-border skills and collaborative training models.

“In Macau, we have many strong talent development practices that are worth learning from,” Wang said, adding that integration with neighboring regions could help improve knowledge sharing and workforce development outcomes.

She also noted that organizations in Macau’s service and hospitality sectors are beginning to explore how AI can be used to improve training and employee support systems, including data-driven learning and performance tracking.

Balancing AI and human-centered development

While AI-driven tools are increasingly being adopted, speakers stressed the importance of maintaining a human-centered approach to workforce development. “Overall, AI is an enabler. It is here to support people to do a better job,” Wang said.

“We’ve seen strong awareness of this in Macau. The focus remains on developing talent and using technology appropriately.”

She reiterated that organizational change ultimately depends on people rather than technology alone. “Technology is not going to transform the organization itself. It’s the people. People are behind all those transformations,” she said.

The summit also featured keynote presentations from former NFL and NBA executive Paul Epstein, AI specialist Josh Cavalier, and conductor Jason Lai of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory at the National University of Singapore.

In one highlight, Lai is set to collaborate with the Macao Orchestra and students from the Macau University of Science and Technology in a performance combining music and leadership concepts, illustrating approaches to teamwork, communication, and trust-building in high-performance environments.

The event concluded with discussions on how organizations across Asia can adapt training strategies to keep pace with AI-driven workplace changes while ensuring that human skills remain central to long-term development strategies.

Wynn Macau receives ATD BEST Award for second time

At the summit, Wynn Macau was recognized as the world’s only hospitality organization to receive the ATD BEST Award from the Association for Talent Development twice – a distinction often referred to as the “Oscar of talent development.”

The award recognizes organizations that demonstrate enterprise-wide success through employee learning and development. It was presented by ATD, the world’s largest professional association for talent development, with more than 30,000 members across 120 countries. Wynn previously received the award in 2024.

“This year, they stand as the only hospitality organization in the world to receive this award,” said Wang during the summit’s opening ceremony.