Article: The new qualifications equipping managers to lead through AI-enabled change Written by CMI Insights Wednesday 15 April 2026 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email 84% of AI implementation failures are down to poor leadership, but CMI has a new suite of qualifications for managers and leaders that are helping shift the dial CMI’s Leadership for AI qualifications are a brand-new suite of qualifications at Levels 3, 5 and 7. They are focused on going beyond technical knowledge to equip managers to lead human-centric change, ensure ethical oversight and deliver measurable AI value to prove ROI. We caught up with Nicola McGinley CMgr FCMI, senior product development manager at CMI, to find out more. Who are the Leadership for AI qualifications aimed at? Nicola McGinley CMgr FCMI (NM): These qualifications are aimed at aspiring and practising managers and leaders at all levels. They are focused on developing leadership for AI at every career stage, from first line managers to operational managers to senior leaders. However, it is also organisations themselves who will benefit from qualified managers, as the qualifications are designed to address real challenges around AI adoption faced by real businesses now. Find out more You can learn more about these qualifications and the research underpinning them on our Leadership for AI page, which provides more information on our individual qualifications:Level 3 Managing AI Adoption – practical application and team readiness for aspiring or junior managersLevel 5 Leading AI Transformation – driving organisational change and ROI for operational managersLevel 7 Strategic Leadership of AI – governance, ethics and long-term vision for senior leaders Visit the qualifications page Why has CMI created them now? NM: With digital transformation being constant, AI is here now and here to stay. Organisations are now rushing to purchase and embed AI tools to be more productive and competitive. However, doing so means that, while they’re investing in the best technology, they’re not upskilling the managers and leaders who are responsible for its success. Research shows that 84% of AI implementation failures are down to poor leadership – and only 12% of managers feel truly equipped to guide teams through AI adoption. These qualifications will enable managers and leaders to guide teams through AI-enabled change and drive confident adoption, reduce risk and close the AI adoption gap. What CMI is doing is really important because leaders must continue investing in their own awareness, education and capability if they’re going to unlock the value of AI in their organisations – Chris Brown CMgr, CCMI, CHMC, SVP & UK&I Market Leader at NCC Group How were the qualifications developed to make sure they're relevant to today’s workplace? NM: These qualifications were developed in collaboration and partnership with a diverse range of stakeholders, including the CMI AI Advisory Council and CMI’s Innovation CoLab Group. We were excited to partner with Techskills – the skills body for tech in the UK and the accreditation body for Tech Industry Gold – for the first time to develop brand-new technical content to ensure managers and leaders have fundamental literacy around AI, cybersecurity and data, which complements CMI’s own management and leadership content. This was all underpinned by CMI’s research, where we surveyed more than 1,000 managers and conducted a series of interviews with experts in the field of management and leadership and AI to establish a picture of how they see leadership changing in the age of AI. The reason why the CMI Leadership for AI Qualification is so important is because AI is not about technology. It’s about how you make the technology work in a business. The challenge is how leaders apply it to teams, workflows and processes in a way that accelerates growth and improves performance – Anthony Impey MBE FCGI, CEO at Be The Business How can managers support the rollout of AI in organisations, and how do these qualifications help with that? NM: Managers are pivotal to supporting the adoption and integration of AI in organisations. It is managers and leaders who can motivate teams and bring them with them on the journey to technological transformation – it’s not just about rolling out tools. With good leadership, there can be safe practice, management of risk and compliance as part of the delivery of AI tools in organisations. This, in turn, creates the greatest business impact. CMI’s Leadership for AI qualifications develop the skills those managers and leaders need to make AI work safely at scale. CMI’s Leadership for AI Qualifications are setting the gold standard in the UK right now. Every employer should be taking advantage of them to strengthen leadership capability and maximise opportunity – Rachel King, Director of Employer Engagement at TechSkills Image credit: CMI Like this article? Why not share it. Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email You might also like these posts on this topic: Topic: Are your team members resisting AI adoption? Here’s what to do It’s natural to fear change, especially as thick and fast as AI adoption. Here’s how to get naysayers to embrace new tools Read article Article Topic: Why AI success hinges on human leadership A CMI panel discussed how organisations can drive value from their AI investments. The key: putting people at the centre Read article Article Topic: “Create clear boundaries”: tackling ‘shadow AI’ in your organisation As AI tools become second nature, here’s how to embrace the benefits without exposing your business to risk Read article Article Topic: People first: how leaders can make AI work for everyone Here’s how leaders can make sure AI empowers people and creates more meaningful work Read article Article Browse all posts Don’t miss out - get notified of new content Sign-up to become a Friend of CMI to recieve our free newsletter for a regular round-up of our latest insight and guidance. CMI members always see more. For the widest selection of content, including CPD tools and multimedia resources, check out how to get involved with CMI membership. Newsletter More ways to get involved Article Our extensive range of articles are designed to keep you in the loop with all the latest management and leadership best practice, research and news. 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