Half of global technology leaders believe that their organization lacks skills, and the ability gap has almost doubled in a year.
Newly released Nash School/Harvey Nash Digital Leadership Report Almost twice as many technology leaders (51%) say they lack AI skills in their business compared to last year (28%).
Also: Amazing AI skills are disconnected and how to fix it
A report by Recruitment Specialists, the world’s largest and longest-running research into IT leadership, found that AI jumped to number one in just 18 months.
To put that level of growth in sight, the report found that the increase in demand for another popular skill, cyber capabilities, has increased significantly from 16% in 2009 to 33% this year.
Also: AI paves the way for a new type of organization – frontier companies
So why does AI demand rise so rapidly? Nash Squared Cio Ankur Anand told Zdnet that the sharp rise is linked to the speed of innovation.
“There’s an unprecedented pace of development with generation AI and the big language models that support it,” he said.
“When you look at Openai or Google, every few months, more advanced models come out. Experts have to learn new skills quickly, and traditional methods of learning can’t keep up with the pace.”
In short, business leaders need a new approach to filling the AI skills gap. There are five areas to prioritize.
1. Train existing staff
The research shows that technology leaders and their companies are slow to respond to the AI skills crisis.
Anand said successful organizations have a business strategy that states what AI means for businesses and how talented professionals will address those concerns.
Also: Is your business ready? Five ways to keep up
In addition to leveraging the resources of experts, such as university scholars who recognize talent and skills, smart business leaders focus on the ongoing learning and development of professionals.
“It’s easier than that, given the pace at which AI is progressing, but it’s important to promote the growth mindset within your organization,” Anand said.
“The best companies develop career growth plans with role-based certification, whether it’s technology or soft skills. This clear career path will become part of the ongoing learning plan.”
2. Source AI Skills Expert
The study suggests that almost two-thirds of tech leaders (65%) have one or more experience with a five-year career, but choose AI-enabled software developers with no AI skills. So, what do the best AI specialists look like?
Anand said the priority is to source people with analytical and problem-solving skills. “The challenges of AI are complex, so companies need that strong mindset.”
Great experts agree with the technical capabilities of business domain expertise, so they know how to use AI to help organizations achieve their desired goals. “The combination is important.”
The best AI experts also understand ethics. “If people deploy AI without guardrails, they can’t develop solutions responsibly.”
Also: Why is it such a dangerous business to ignore AI ethics and how to do AI right?
Finally, Anand said that great AI experts share knowledge with others. “One of the things I saw with my team is the importance of mentorship,” he said.
“Coach staff and other business coaches of the team’s most talented people. This is a powerful skill that business leaders need to focus on finding AI talent.”
3. Change the adopted model
Technology leaders hope that AI will fill one in five technology jobs over the next five years, but the report suggests that AI is also changing its operational models.
Anand, the first thing to realize is that AI is changing traditional adoption models.
“We have a platform where we can screen our resumes and evaluate our skills,” he said. “AI helps industries move from experience-based to skill-based assessments. Data modeling techniques can also help companies predict the characteristics of successful candidates for roles.”
Also: I tried Microsoft’s free AI skills training, and you’re also a few more weeks.
Second, these candidates rarely focus solely on technical expertise.
The right talent will help businesses to enhance human expertise with data-enabled capabilities, especially as agent AI usage increases over the next few years.
Finally, business leaders looking for this blended talent will cover a wide range of regions, backgrounds and abilities and acquire a wide range of recruitment nets.
“This means no one has said, ‘This job can only be fulfilled by someone with five years of experience,” he said.
4. Working in next-generation functions
Compared to the global average, organizations that attract, retain and incorporate Gen Z perspectives are twice as likely to prepare for AI demands and report measurable ROIs from AI.
Anand said successful business leaders understand the values of young professionals and their desire for purpose in their work, particularly in relation to social responsibility.
“They are looking for an organization that suits these values,” he said. “We need to give them a challenging opportunity to feel like they are part of the ongoing learning process.”
Also: Best AI for coding (including 2 new top picks – and not used)
Access to these opportunities is important. Because for decades, there has been no longer been a time when people want to work in one company.
“The younger generations quickly gain knowledge, do the same and get bored. They want to move on,” he said. “Organisations need to understand the values of these generations and build a career plan that suits them.”
These plans should include flexibility in the overall work location and time. “It’s a good job. LIFE balance is the biggest factor in choosing an employer.”
5. Continue to explore new AI opportunities
Organizations with large-scale implementations of AI are 24% more likely to increase high-tech personnel than their peers, primarily in the AI and data space.
Anand said pioneering technology leaders will stay a step ahead by not being scared of emerging technologies.
“There are still some big companies that are keeping them away from Gen AI due to fear of security,” he said.
“But people won’t stay if they’re not involved in these technologies. The best experts need challenging work. They know that AI can make mundane roles redundant in the future.”
Anand said that smart business leaders will cultivate a culture of experimentation to make staff interested and excited.
“They reward risks – because even failure promotes new learning and these lessons will bring about success in the future,” he said.
Get the top stories of the morning in your inbox every day Tech Today newsletter.
