Key Takeaways
- AI readiness is a career skill, not a technical specialty
- Most workers don’t need to become AI experts, but they do need confidence and AI literacy
- Employers are already rewarding Level 3+ behaviours
- Lack of training is usually a systems issue and not a personal failure
- Knowing your readiness level helps you ask better questions, and make smarter career moves
Reading time: ~9 minutes
Artificial intelligence isn’t coming for your job, but it is reshaping how work gets done.
Across Canada, workers are being asked to adapt faster than training, policy, or leadership guidance can keep up. Agilus created the 5 Levels of AI Readiness AI Framework to give workers a clear, non-technical way to understand where their AI Readiness is today and what “ready” actually looks like in practice.
To be “AI Ready” doesn’t mean you need to be an AI engineer. AI Readiness is about confidence, capability, and credibility in a labour market where AI is already embedded in hiring, productivity tools, and performance expectations. At its core, that means AI literacy: understanding how AI shows up in your work and how to use judgment alongside it.
Insights from our AI Readiness & Work in Canada survey revealed a consistent tension among Canadian workers:
- AI is increasingly present in day-to-day work
- Many workers feel unsure how AI affects their role or long-term prospects
- Access to employer-provided AI training is uneven
- Confidence lags behind exposure
In other words: many of you are being expected to use AI without being taught how to work with it.
That gap is exactly what the 5 AI Readiness Levels are designed to close. This is supported by the hundreds of interviews Agilus recruiters conduct weekly. Job Seekers and Candidates are not sure of their level of AI Readiness and have difficulty articulating AI skills.
“AI readiness isn’t about keeping up with technology. It’s about being confident as work changes. When you understand how to use AI thoughtfully, you are better equipped to learn, adapt, and show the value you can bring to a role. That confidence will help you grow professionally, stay relevant, and move forward in your career.”
Sherri Strong, Director, Organizational Talent and Development, Agilus Work Solutions
Agilus’ 5 AI Readiness Levels
Level 1: AI Awareness
You know AI exists, but it feels foreign and abstract.
What this looks like:
- You hear about AI in the news or at work
- You’re unsure how it applies to your role
- You may feel anxious, skeptical, or overwhelmed
Common roles at this level: Frontline workers, early-career professionals, workers in roles where AI changes are being discussed but not explained
Risk: Being excluded from decisions that affect your job because you “don’t speak AI.”
Level 2: AI-Assisted Work
AI is showing up in your tools, even if you did not ask for it.
What this looks like:
- AI-enabled software at work (ATS, CRM, analytics, scheduling, content tools)
- You use AI passively but don’t fully trust or understand it
- You rely on defaults rather than judgment and experimentation
Key shift: From avoiding AI to interacting with it.
Risk: Performative productivity gains without understanding, and little ability to challenge outputs.
Level 3: AI-Enhanced Skills
Beyond exposure, you actively using AI to support your work.
What this looks like:
- You choose when and how to use AI tools
- You verify outputs and understand limitations
- You save time without compromising quality
This is the most important readiness level for job seekers today.
Most employers are not looking for AI experts, but they are looking for workers who can apply AI responsibly and effectively. This level reflects practical AI literacy: knowing when to use AI, when not to, and how to validate its outputs.
Level 4: AI Workflow Contributor
You improve and optimized how AI is used, and not just that it’s used.
What this looks like:
- You refine prompts, workflows, and processes
- You know where AI helps and where it doesn’t
- You flag bias, errors, or misuse
Career signal: You’re becoming a trusted operator, not just a user.
Level 5: AI Leadership & Governance
You help shape AI use, both ethically and strategically.
What this looks like:
- You contribute to AI guidelines or policies
- You mentor others on responsible use
- You understand risk, privacy, and accountability
This level is rare but increasingly valuable.
What the Research Tells Us (External Perspective)
Global research reinforces what Agilus is seeing in Canada:
- McKinsey reports that while AI adoption is accelerating, workforce capability and trust remain major constraints — especially where training hasn’t kept pace.
- The OECD emphasizes that AI readiness is a skills issue, not just a technology issue, calling for continuous upskilling and worker protections as AI adoption grows.
These findings align closely with Agilus’ survey insights: AI readiness is less about tools and more about confidence, access, support, and AI literacy across the workforce.
How This Connects to Hiring (and Your Career)
AI is already embedded in:
- Résumé screening
- Candidate assessments
- Scheduling and communications
- Performance tracking
- Workflow automation
If you’re job searching, this matters. If you’re already employed, it matters even more. In fact, in Ontario as of January 1st this year, employers and recruiting firms must indicate if AI is used in the recruiting process. Agilus has indicated how we use AI across all of our job postings regardless of geography.
Our survey results revealed that workers are more comfortable with AI in the hiring process if employers and recruiters and transparent about how AI is being used. As we explored in Agilus’ blog “How to Stay Productive at Work Without Burning Out”, productivity and performance break down when systems change but people aren’t supported.
AI readiness is now part of the employee experience in most companies in Canada and AI literacy is increasingly assumed rather than explicitly taught. In fact, workers value roles that include AI training as they see it as an important skill for their career growth.
AI Readiness Self-Assessment
Curious which AI readiness level you’re really at?
Our AI Readiness Self-Assessment is a structured, candidate-focused tool aligned to Agilus’ 5 AI Readiness Levels. It helps you evaluate not just whether you use AI, but how confidently, responsibly, and effectively you apply it in real work situations.
Unlike quick online quizzes, this assessment mirrors the way employers increasingly evaluate AI capability. It looks at practical experience, judgment, workflow use, and responsible decision-making. These are the same signals hiring managers are paying attention to as AI becomes embedded in everyday work.
Use it to:
- Identify your current AI readiness level
- Understand how your skills translate to today’s job market
- Pinpoint where targeted development will have the biggest impact
This assessment also gives you language you can use in résumés, interviews, performance reviews, and promotion conversations. Each level reflects behaviours employers recognize, making it easier to describe your experience clearly and confidently without overstating or underselling your skills.
👉 Download our AI Readiness Self-Assessment in PDF format.
Conclusion
AI is changing how work gets done, but that doesn’t mean workers are powerless in the process.
Readiness isn’t about becoming more technical. It’s about building AI literacy.
Understanding where AI supports your work, where it doesn’t, and how your judgment still matters. For many roles, that clarity, knowing when to use AI and when not to, is already a differentiator.
The most resilient careers won’t belong to people who know the most about AI.
They’ll belong to people who can use it thoughtfully to increase productivity, create time for more meaningful work, and strengthen their contributions to teams, projects, and organizations.
About Agilus Work Solutions
Agilus is one of Canada’s largest recruitment firms, connecting job seekers and employers across the country for 50 years. We specialize in technical, engineering, professional, and industrial talent and we believe great work happens when people are supported, informed, and set up to succeed.
As the world of work evolves, Agilus invests in research, insight, and practical frameworks to help workers and employers navigate change with confidence. From our AI Readiness & Work in Canada Survey to resources like our blogs, our focus is on making complex shifts, like AI adoption, more human, more transparent, and more actionable.
Ready to take the next step?
Whether you’re exploring new opportunities, building future-ready skills, or trying to understand how AI is reshaping your role, Agilus is here to help:
FAQs
Q1. Do I need AI skills to get hired now?
Not advanced skills, but basic AI literacy is increasingly expected, especially in professional and technical roles.
Q2. What if my employer hasn’t offered AI training?
That’s common. You can gain exposure to simple chatbots on websites you visit often, and download free versions of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Claude, Co-pilot and others. Focus on understanding how AI could affect your tasks and decisions, even informally.
Q3. Can AI readiness help me change careers?
Yes. Transferable AI application skills often matter more than tool-specific experience. Learn more about transferable skills in our blog, How to Showcase Transferable Skills in Canada.
Q4. Is AI a threat to my job?
Jobs are changing, but workers who understand and apply AI thoughtfully are more resilient and agile.