Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword; it is a transformative force reshaping industries, redefining skills, and challenging professionals to adapt at an unprecedented pace. Yet, amidst the excitement, there is often a gap between sensationalised narratives and the lived realities of workers and organisations navigating AI’s adoption. Bridging this gap is the mission behind the AI Maturity Index, a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to demystify AI’s impact with actionable insights.

In this discussion, we delve into the insights of Eryn Peters, co-creator of the AI Maturity Index. With a global perspective shaped by her experience and the unique expertise of her collaborator, Iwo Szapar, Peters shares the inspiration behind the AI Maturity Index, how it addresses critical questions about AI adoption, and its implications for the future of work. What follows is a thought-provoking discussion exploring AI’s transformative potential, challenges, and opportunities for professionals and organisations alike.

What inspired you to create the AI Maturity Index, and how does it align with your broader work on the future of jobs and skills?

The AI Maturity Index was born from a fascinating intersection of our experiences. As someone who’s worked with 4.5 million workers across 190+ countries through talent marketplaces, I’ve (Eryn) witnessed firsthand how rapidly skills evolve in the tech landscape. Meanwhile, Iwo’s role as Chief AI Officer at the Saudi AI Leadership Forum and founder of the Remote-first Institute gave him unique insights into organisational AI transformation.

We found ourselves having passionate discussions about the disconnect between media narratives and real workforce experiences with AI. While headlines focused on fear-mongering, we were seeing a more nuanced reality. While 47% of workers worried about AI advancements causing them to lose their jobs, we realised there was an urgent need for data-driven insights rather than speculation. As Iwo often says, we needed to “put actual facts and research behind all of it.” The index became our way of answering crucial questions: Who’s really using AI? How are they using it? And is it actually impacting the entire workforce in the way many fear?

The AI Maturity Index provides personalised insights in just 15 minutes. How does it achieve such precision in such a short time?

Our approach is unique because we’ve combined our different expertise to create something truly innovative. From my (Eryn’s) experience with global workforce data, we knew we needed to efficiently capture quantitative and qualitative insights. Iwo’s deep understanding of AI implementation in organisations helped us identify the most crucial metrics to measure.

Together, we developed a way to conduct interviews via AI assistant – a groundbreaking methodology that captures 85 distinct data points about each user while feeling like a natural conversation. It’s about solving for all of these problems and questions in one elegant solution. The system measures everything from the frequency of AI use to psychological impact, creating a comprehensive profile without overwhelming the user. Our initial research phase validated this approach, with over 27,000 interview minutes across over 1,800 respondents from 75 countries, proving we could gather rich, actionable insights while keeping the process quick and engaging.

With 77% of leaders prioritising candidates with AI skills, what steps should professionals take today to future-proof their careers?

Our research has revealed something quite striking about the current landscape. As I (Iwo) see through my work with the Saudi AI Leadership Forum, organisations are rapidly shifting their hiring priorities – 66% of leaders won’t hire someone without AI skills, and 77% would choose juniors with AI skills over seniors without them.

From my (Eryn) perspective, when matching millions of global workers’ skills to jobs, what’s crucial is understanding that not all roles and skills face the same level of AI exposure. We’ve identified clear patterns where some skills are at risk for automation, others for augmentation, and some have lower exposure risks. That’s precisely why we developed our nine adoption scales, measuring everything from tool diversity to integration levels. It’s not just about using AI tools – it’s about developing AI aptitude.

How can companies use the insights from the AI Maturity Index to create actionable strategies for AI adoption?

What makes our approach unique is how granular and actionable the insights are. More than 80% of AI implementation projects fail. That’s why we developed a metrics-driven STEP framework – Segmentation, Transition, Education, and Performance – that creates a clear roadmap for teams.

Our team reports provide detailed performance snapshots across critical areas like Time Savings, Team Coverage, Daily Active Usage, and Use Cases. For example, when a team scores at the Late Majority Stage, as in one of our recent reports, we can identify specific gaps—such as a 30-point difference from industry benchmarks—and translate that into concrete opportunities. We’ve seen that closing such gaps can lead to quantifiable benefits, like operational efficiency improvements worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual cost savings.

The AI Maturity Index doesn’t just measure – it guides. We break down adoption into six key dimensions: General Skill Level, Customisation, Creativity, Trust, Collaboration, and Ethics Awareness. This allows companies to identify their AI Champions across different roles and leverage their expertise to accelerate adoption and remove barriers. It’s about turning data into a practical transformation roadmap addressing technical implementation and human factors.

What are the most significant workforce transformations you’ve observed due to AI, and how does the AI Maturity Index help workers navigate these changes?

One of the most significant transformations is how AI reshapes traditional role hierarchies. Vertically, we see junior employees with strong AI skills taking on greater responsibilities, fundamentally changing organisational dynamics. It’s also interesting to see how AI allows people to work more effectively horizontally – a designer with a great idea can build it with low/no-code AI tools instead of needing to bring in an additional person to create an MVP.

AI creates new opportunities for freelancers and contractors, who often report more positive impacts than full-time employees. Our research identified the top tool categories being used—from large language models to productivity tools and image generation—and, more importantly, how different worker profiles are adapting to them. The AI Maturity Index helps navigate these changes by providing personalised insights and relevant use cases based on each individual’s current adoption level and work context.

You’ve impacted millions of workers globally. What drives your passion for creating tools like the AI Maturity Index that empower professionals?

I (Eryn) have seen how access to the right information and tools can transform careers. What drives me is the opportunity to demystify AI adoption and provide clear, actionable pathways for professional growth. Every time we receive feedback from users about how our personalised reports have helped them gain confidence with AI, it reinforces why we started this journey.

From my perspective (Iwo), I’ve witnessed how proper AI education and benchmarking can transform entire organisations. Our passion comes from seeing how the AI Maturity Index bridges the gap between fear and empowerment, helping both individuals and organisations make informed decisions about their AI journey. As we often say, it’s not just about measuring where you are— it’s about illuminating where you can go.