Hong Kong employers are investing heavily in both AI capabilities and human skills, with AI technology for the first time topping training priorities across all staff levels, according to the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management's 2025/2026 Training and Development Needs Survey. The survey, covering 127 companies and nearly 80,000 full-time employees across 18 industries, signals a shift from experimental AI use to embedding it in workforce development at every tier.
Average training hours per employee climbed to 19.4 hours in 2025, a 6.8% increase from 18.1 hours in 2024 and the highest since 2011's 19.9 hours. Generative AI tools are now permitted at work by 82% of surveyed companies, up from 73% a year earlier, while those banning AI use dropped to 4% from 7%. The 'wait-and-see' group shrank from 20% to 14%, confirming that normalised AI adoption is reshaping L&D budgets and priorities.
AI training priorities across all staff levels
For the first time, AI technology was ranked the most important training area by the largest share of companies for senior management (58%), middle management (61%), and junior staff (54%). Middle management saw the strongest focus, reflecting a push to equip frontline decision-makers with the skills to lead AI adoption. This dual-pronged approach means organisations are building AI fluency simultaneously at strategic and operational levels.
Training investment remains steady: 73% of companies allocated a dedicated L&D budget in 2025, with actual spending at 2.5% of total annual base salary. For 2026, 20% plan to increase budgets, 61% will hold steady, and 19% expect cuts. However, a dedicated AI training budget is still rare - only 6% of companies have one. Most fund AI training through general L&D funds (57%) or project-based models (37%), suggesting a flexible but not yet institutionalised approach.
Digital learning tools gain traction
Online learning platforms and AI-assisted tools are becoming staples. Webinars and virtual classrooms remain the top digital format (75%), followed by training videos (63%) and e-learning libraries (53%). Usage of AI learning tools jumped from 16% in 2024 to 40% in 2025, moving from seventh to fourth place among digital modalities. A supplementary Quick Poll of 96 employers found that 29% have already integrated AI-assisted tools into training systems, 14% plan to do so in 2026, and another 24% by 2027 - leaving only 32% with no such plans.
Yet in-person training retains critical value. "Digital learning is not intended to replace face-to-face training," said Charles Ho, Co-chairperson of the HKIHRM Learning and Development Committee. "In areas that require a high level of interaction, immediate feedback and hands-on practice - such as leadership development, team collaboration and change management - in-person training remains irreplaceable."
Human skills hold their ground
Despite AI's rise, soft skills continue to rank among the highest training priorities. Data analytics, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills appeared consistently at the top across staff levels. For 2026, leadership development remains the top L&D priority (50%), while mastering generative AI for learning surged from 23% to 49%, leaping from sixth to second place.
Training priorities differ by level. Senior management emphasises change management (51%), strategic thinking (50%), and business innovation (44%). Middle management focuses on coaching and performance management (44%), problem-solving, and communication (43%). Junior staff rank communication and interpersonal skills highest (50%), followed by customer service and health and safety (43%).
Chester Tsang, HKIHRM's Executive Council Member and Co-chairperson of the Learning and Development Committee, reinforced the ethical dimension: "Employee training should not focus solely on technical proficiency, but also encompass integrity, a strong sense of responsibility, and compliance awareness, ensuring that technology adoption advances within an ethical and well-governed framework. Future competitiveness is not merely a contest of technology, but of talent quality, governance capability, and learning culture."
Why this matters for HR professionals
The findings make clear that L&D strategies must now accommodate two parallel demands: rapid AI capability building and sustained investment in interpersonal and analytical skills. HR leaders who treat AI training as a standalone line item risk fragmentation. Instead, integrating AI fluency into existing competency frameworks - and sourcing practical pathways such as an AI Learning Path for Training & Development Managers - can help teams design programs that serve both technical adoption and long-term talent development. Resources that connect AI for Human Resources to everyday workflows are no longer optional; they are essential infrastructure for a workforce where AI and human skills must coexist and reinforce each other.
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