Consider two scenarios. In the first organisation, a team is given access to an AI tool. They use it according to the manual. It produces acceptable results. They move on. In the second organisation, a team is given the same tool. They start using it as intended. Then they get curious: what happens if we change the input? Can we use it for a different problem? What if we combined it with another tool? They experiment, learn, and discover applications the tool builder hadn't anticipated. Six months later, they're using the tool in ways that deliver three times the value of the first team.
The difference isn't intelligence or capability. It's curiosity. Curiosity is the driver of experimentation. Experimentation is the engine of learning. Learning is the foundation of competitive advantage, particularly in an environment where the game is changing constantly.
Bersin's February 2026 research is striking: AI-first learning teams are 28 times more likely to unlock employee potential compared to traditional learning approaches. But what makes a team "AI-first" isn't the tools they use—it's their orientation toward learning, experimentation, and continuous improvement. That orientation is rooted in curiosity.
Deloitte's 2025 work identified curiosity as one of the four most enduring human capabilities that will remain valuable regardless of technological change.
How Curiosity Gets Killed (And How to Restore It)
Most organisations unintentionally kill curiosity. A manager asks a question in a meeting. Someone tries to answer but gets it wrong. The manager moves on without acknowledging the attempt. Message received: asking questions here is risky. A team proposes an experimental approach to a problem. The experiment fails. The conversation turns to blame, not learning. Message received: experimentation is not safe.
In high-performance learning cultures, by contrast, curiosity is actively cultivated:
Make question-asking safe. When someone asks a question (even a "stupid" one), the response should acknowledge the question and treat it as valuable. "That's a great question. Here's what we know..." or "That's something I'm not sure about either. Let's figure it out together."
Allocate time for curiosity. Most organisations have meetings for planning, delivering, and reviewing. Few have time allocated explicitly for exploration and learning. Designate 10% of meeting time as "what if" space.
Model curiosity from leadership. Leaders set the tone. When a senior leader admits "I don't know" and is genuinely curious to learn, it gives permission to the whole organisation.
Create rituals that reinforce learning. A "curiosity hour" once a month where teams explore new tools, approaches, or ideas without performance pressure. A monthly learning forum where people share what they've learned.
The Business Impact of Curiosity
Gallup's 2025 research found that organisations offering strong development opportunities see 2.5 times higher retention and significantly higher engagement. But it's not the training programmes themselves driving these results—it's the message they send: you are valued, you can develop, your growth matters.
In the AI age, this becomes a strategic advantage. The organisations that will attract and retain the best talent are those with strong learning cultures. The organisations that will innovate and adapt fastest are those where curiosity drives experimentation.
Try This
Allocate 10% of your team's meeting time to ‘what if’ questions. In one weekly meeting, spend 10 minutes asking: What if we approached this differently? What could we learn from trying a new approach? What are we missing?
Start a monthly ‘curiosity hour’ where your team explores new tools, approaches, or ideas—completely separate from current work. No deliverables, no pressure, just exploration.
In every 1:1 conversation, ask ‘What are you curious about right now?’ Listen to the answer. Help the person pursue it if possible.
References
Bersin, J. (2026) AI in Corporate Learning: The definitive analysis. The Josh Bersin Company.
Deloitte (2025) Human Capital Trends Report. Deloitte University Press.
Gallup (2025) State of the Global Workplace Report. Washington, DC: Gallup Press.
Kashdan, T.B. (2009) Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life. New York: William Morrow.