New Insperity Research Finds SMBs That Balance AI and People Investment Report Approximately 2x Better Outcomes
Insperity (NSP) released research with Lighthouse Research & Advisory examining how balanced investment in people and AI relates to workforce outcomes.
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Companies balancing people and AI strategy outperform across five key workforce and leadership measures
Insperity, Inc. (NYSE: NSP), a leading provider of human resources and business performance solutions, released "The AI Balance Gap: Why People Strategy is the Key to Turning AI Investment Into Business Performance," new research conducted in partnership with Lighthouse Research & Advisory, which found that organizations that invest as intentionally in their people as they do in their technology report approximately 2x stronger results across five workforce and leadership commitments measured in the survey: people investment, employee experience, leadership involvement, change management and leadership trust.
“A successful AI strategy is enhanced through organizational alignment, agility and employee engagement,” said Kathy Johnson, Insperity executive vice president of strategic development. “Businesses that combine innovative technology with human expertise and a clear people strategy are better positioned to manage change, earn employee trust and turn their AI investments into stronger business performance.”
Keeping people at the center of AI adoption
The research found that AI adoption is outpacing organizational readiness among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), pointing to an opportunity for leaders to build trust by balancing technology investment with people strategy:
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AI adoption is moving faster than people readiness:
75% of SMB leaders surveyed are actively using or experimenting with AI, but only four in 10 feel very prepared to manage the people side of that change. -
Leaders report competing workforce priorities:
83% say they primarily use AI to augment their people, while53% of the same employers also say they are actively looking to reduce headcount through AI. -
Employees are concerned about losing the human element: Their top concern about AI-influenced decisions is a lack of human understanding (
52% ), ahead of both data privacy and job loss. -
Replacing human judgment could weaken employee sentiment: When asked to imagine AI replacing human judgment entirely,
40% of employees say it would reduce their trust in leadership, and36% say it would leave them feeling undervalued. -
Balanced investment is associated with stronger trust: Employees who perceive balanced investment in AI and people are more than twice as likely to trust their employer’s use of AI—
38% versus18% .
The research suggests that balance comes down to how leaders integrate AI into their broader workforce strategy. The report defines a balanced approach around four drivers:
- Use AI to augment people rather than replace them
- Maintain human accountability
- Reallocate AI-created capacity to higher-value work
- Align AI strategy with workforce strategy
These findings reinforce that successful AI adoption should incorporate people strategies. Pairing technology investments with workforce development, clear communication, human accountability and thoughtful change management can help employees understand how and why AI is being used, build trust through the transition and better position businesses for effective implementation.
To learn more about the research and download the report, “The AI Balance Gap: Why People Strategy is the Key to Turning AI Investment Into Business Performance,” click here.
About the Study
The 2026 Lighthouse Research & Advisory SMB People and AI Study, which informed The AI Balance Gap report, was conducted in partnership with Insperity. Online surveys were completed in Q2 2026 by 800 full-time
About Insperity
Since 1986, Insperity’s mission has been to help businesses succeed so communities prosper. Offering a suite of the most comprehensive, scalable HR solutions available in the marketplace, Insperity is defined by an unrivaled breadth and depth of services and level of care. Through an optimal blend of premium HR service and technology, Insperity delivers the administrative relief, reduced liabilities and better benefit solutions that businesses need to drive performance and growth. With 2025 revenues of
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Source: Insperity, Inc.