Debate Over Who Should Teach Workers AI—Business Insider

As AI rapidly changes the workplace, companies are grappling with a new question: Who is responsible for helping employees build AI skills? In Business Insider, Farient COO R.J. Bannister shared his perspective on why AI learning should be a shared responsibility between employers and employees.

Bannister noted that most professional development comes through self-directed learning and hands-on experience. As AI accelerates the pace of learning, he emphasized that organizations should create opportunities for individuals to experiment with new tools while encouraging individuals to take ownership of their own development.

Investing in employee development is about more than building technical skills, Bannister said. By treating learning as an ongoing investment, organizations can help employees embrace AI with confidence rather than fear. As he told Business Insider…

“They’re a part of a solution, as opposed to just seeing it solely as a threat.”

About R.J. Bannister

Partner, COO, Farient Advisors/GECN Group, New York

New York: (646) 626-6929
Mobile: (917) 747-3985
rj.bannister@farient.com

R.J. has 30-plus years of experience consulting to the S&P 1500 and large private companies representing the board’s compensation committee or management, and sometimes both parties. R.J. has worked with hundreds of companies on their total rewards strategy and executive compensation philosophy to align pay programs with business strategy. His ability to create alignment results from deep insights on industry and compensation trends; sophisticated financial, market, and compensation analytics; and impactful, easy-to-implement solutions. He has worked in nearly every industry sector and extensively with private equity companies. Before joining Farient, R.J. was the founder and CEO of Bannister Group LLC, an executive compensation and total rewards consultancy he founded in 2019 after retiring as a managing director from Willis Towers Watson. R.J. holds an MSc in economics from the London School of Economics and a BS in economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School with a triple concentration in corporate finance, strategic management, and international political science.

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