Why AI Literacy isn’t optional anymore and what to do about it

As AI spans across every aspect of business, organizations can’t afford to treat AI literacy as a “nice to have.” Here’s why it’s now a strategic advantage as well as a regulatory requirement.

The quiet gap no one wants to admit

Most organizations today are racing to implement AI, from automating workflows to embedding intelligent agents into customer journeys. And yet—behind the scenes—a critical gap is quietly stalling progress: too many teams still don’t speak the language of AI.

It’s not that they don’t care. It’s that AI knowledge, like AI itself, has evolved faster than most teams can keep up with. The result? Misaligned expectations, misunderstood risks, and models built in isolation.

Why it’s time to take AI literacy seriously

A growing number of leaders are recognizing this challenge. According to DataCamp’s 2024 State of Data and AI Literacy Report, 62% of executives acknowledge a skill gap, yet fewer than a quarter have implemented organization-wide training initiatives.

This is no longer just a talent development issue—it’s a governance and performance issue.

In fact, Gartner predicts that by 2027, organizations that prioritize AI literacy at the executive level will outperform their peers financially by 20%. That’s a striking reminder: understanding AI isn’t just for data scientists. It’s for decision-makers, risk managers, marketers, and product teams alike — it is for everyone.

From compliance requirement to competitive edge

This urgency is also being shaped by regulation. The EU AI Act, entering into application in February 2025, makes AI literacy a formal obligation for many organizations. Article 4 specifically mandates that providers and deployers of AI systems ensure their staff possess “sufficient knowledge, education, and training” to manage AI responsibly.

This includes understanding not just how models work, but how they can fail—and how to govern them ethically, transparently, and in alignment with organizational goals.

So the question isn’t whether to act—but how.

Reframing AI literacy: it’s not just about education

It’s tempting to think of AI literacy as a checklist: send teams to training, distribute a glossary, tick the box. But the organizations that get it right go further. They treat literacy as an enabler of shared language, cross-functional collaboration, and scalable governance by applying it from day one in how they frame their AI use cases.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Context-aware learning tailored to different roles—what a business owner needs to know about AI is not the same as what a model developer needs.
• Embedded training that fits into day-to-day AI workflows, rather than pulling teams away from their priorities.
• Leadership fluency, ensuring that those making high-stakes decisions understand AI’s trade-offs—not just its promise.

And we’re not just talking the talk: Collibra is actively applying AI literacy internally as well. You can find our own practices featured in the EU AI Pact living repository of AI literacy programs.

Celebrating our partnership with DataCamp

That’s why we’re proud to share something we’ve been working on.

This summer, Collibra announced its partnership with DataCamp, one of the world’s leading learning platforms, to launch a series of AI Governance training courses. These courses were designed by our subject matter experts and delivered through DataCamp’s engaging, hands-on platform.

Collibra customers and Collibra Partners receive exclusive 30-day access to the whole AI Literacy and Governance course series on DataCamp.

These courses provide:

• Practical guidance on AI risk and compliance
• Role-specific learning paths for data, business, and governance teams
• Interactive exercises that bridge theory with real-world application

Whether you’re preparing for the EU AI Act, planning to scale AI, or just beginning your governance journey, this is a resource built for you

Turning AI literacy into a strategic advantage

Here’s how forward-thinking organizations are embedding AI literacy into their culture:

• Onboarding: Introducing AI concepts early for new hires
• Performance frameworks: Linking AI competencies to leadership development
• Knowledge hubs: Creating centralized glossaries and guidance repositories
• Applied learning: Using real internal use cases as part of upskilling programs
• Cross-functional forums: Bringing legal, data, IT, and business teams together to discuss AI initiatives

At Collibra, we’ve seen this work firsthand. Our platform helps teams not just govern data and AI assets, but learn in the process from ideation to deployment by working together, tagging use cases, reviewing policies, and applying tools like our EU AI Act Assessment Wizard.

What’s next—and how to get started

AI literacy is no longer an academic concern. It’s what enables safe deployment, avoids costly errors, builds trust, and satisfies regulatory mandates.

But it’s also what creates alignment across an organization that wants to innovate, responsibly and confidently.

Ready to upskill your team?

• Explore Collibra’s AI Governance course on DataCamp.
• Use your Collibra customer access to unlock 30-day free training
• Download the AI Literacy eBook

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  Stijn Christiaens

  Stijn Christiaens

  Founder and Chief Data Citizen

  Collibra

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  Rebecca Golden

  Rebecca Golden

  Global Director, Collibra Education

  Collibra

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  David Talaga

  David Talaga

  Product Marketing Director

  Collibra