Pearson, the world's lifelong learning company, and Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, announced the launch of new global research revealing the misalignments between higher education and employers that are slowing progress in building an AI-ready workforce.

The report, AI Readiness: Building the Bridge from Higher Education to Work, draws on more than 2,700 survey responses from learners, higher education leaders, and employers across six countries, including the U.S., U.K., Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, and is supplemented by in-depth interviews with higher education leaders. The findings provide rare insight into the perceptions from all along the learning‑to‑work continuum.

Key findings include:

53 per cent of employers say their primary challenge is finding graduates with the right AI skills.

78 per cent of higher education leaders believe they're meeting employer expectations.

14 per cent of current graduates report they have achieved a high level of proficiency in applying AI tools to a professional workflow.

This data comes at a moment when artificial intelligence is reshaping entry‑level roles, the durability of skills is rapidly decreasing, and workforce readiness is at risk worldwide. While AI adoption is accelerating across industries, the research shows that AI readiness is breaking down at the point of execution, where learning must translate into applied workplace capability, rather than from a lack of ambition or access.

"This AI readiness research with Pearson reveals that our primary opportunity is to help translate AI tool engagement into real workplace capability. AWS is committed to working alongside our education partners to ensure every learner develops AI literacy, in addition to the judgment, adaptability, and hands-on experience employers need," said Kim Majerus, Vice President of Global Education and U.S. State & Local Government at AWS.

"It is clear that basic AI literacy is no longer enough. Schools that lead in AI readiness today will shape the future of workforce readiness tomorrow. Building an AI-ready workforce depends on structured, shared systems that amplify human skills and connect curriculum to real work. Pearson and AWS are working together to bridge the gap between higher education and employers and help prepare the workforce of tomorrow," said Tom ap Simon, President of Higher Education and Virtual Learning at Pearson.