AI skills gap widens: Employers embrace AI, but employees left behind
A concerning disconnect has emerged between the rapid adoption of AI and employers’ readiness to implement it effectively and equitably.
Multiple recent studies point to the range of challenges faced by people managers, who must manage AI integration while ensuring fair access to training and development opportunities.
Even though 75% of companies have adopted AI technology, just one-third of employees got AI training in the last year, according to a survey by HR consultancy Randstad. That disparity is further complicated by major demographic gaps in AI skills and training access.
“Talent scarcity is a significant global challenge, and so equitable access to skilling, resources and opportunities needs to be a fundamental part of addressing this,” stated Randstad CEO Sander van’t Noordende. “Unless we recognize and take active steps to address this, the pool of workers who are prepared for the future of work will be too small, creating even more shortages across industries.”
The gender divide regarding AI skills is particularly stark, with men making up 7 in 10 workers with such expertise versus just 3 in 10 women, according to the survey, based on responses from more than 12,000 workers worldwide. That alarming gap is evident in advanced areas such as deep learning, where three-quarters of practitioners are male. There are some encouraging signs among newcomers to the workforce, however, where women’s representation in AI roles rose to 34% among employees with less than a year’s experience.
Age-related inequity is also a concern. While 45% of Gen Z workers have been offered AI-skilling opportunities, only half that number of boomers have received such training, per Randstad. The generational divide is reflected in AI adoption rates, with nearly half of Gen Z actively using AI compared to about one-third of boomers.
An earlier study by the global employment nonprofit Generation found that while just 15% of workers over age 45 use AI tools, those who do enjoy a range of tangible benefits, including improved productivity, work quality and job satisfaction.
That said, the low adoption rate among older workers suggests that many may not take full advantage of AI’s potential, potentially because their jobs don’t necessitate their using AI tools or they lack proper training. The survey was based on responses by more than 1,500 employees and managers in the U.K. and Europe.
In addition, a recent survey of 800 American workers aged 55 and older by Carewell, an at-home caregiving provider, found that half of older employees are interested in receiving AI training, while 13% were interested in changing industries to find a job that uses AI more.
As the research suggests, AI implementation has the potential to exacerbate ageism in the workplace, said Anika Heavener, vp of innovation and investments at The SCAN Foundation, a charity that works on behalf of more seasoned employees. “Older workers offer unique skills and experience, and employers need to provide them with the training and support they need to reap the benefits of AI and successfully integrate the technology into their day-to-day jobs,” she said.
Bosses’ expectations vs. real-world practices
Another gap exists when it comes to AI — that between what bosses expect of AI usage and how employees are actually employing the technology.
A just-released study from Salesforce-owned workplace app Slack points to the disparity between how bosses expect their employees to utilize AI and how they actually put it to use. Executives want team members to prioritize learning and skills development via AI, while employees see AI as most useful for administrative tasks.
The study, based on responses from more than 1,000 workers in the U.K., found that when it comes to training, 3 out of 5 employees say a prospective employer’s ability to provide and enable workers on AI tools is a factor in their job search. All told, 65% of workers have spent less than 5 hours learning how to use AI, while 72% feel urgency to become AI experts.
More than half (54%) of those surveyed said they were uncomfortable telling their manager they used AI for work, for reasons ranging from fear of being seen as less competent or lazy to the perception that using the technology is cheating.
Meanwhile, a recent study by compliance training platform Traliant reveals challenges in AI governance and risk management. Despite 94% of HR departments using AI, 40% either lack or are uncertain about having an acceptable AI usage policy. Even more concerning, 2 in 10 organizations have never provided AI training to their workforce, while about one-third have never communicated guidelines about the proper usage of AI. The survey was based on responses from 500 HR professionals.
“While AI brings vast opportunities for driving organizational success and fostering talent growth, it must be accompanied by clear acceptable use policies and guidelines to safely mitigate risk,” said Michael Johnson, chief strategy officer at Traliant.
To successfully navigate the world of AI, HR professionals must set clear expectations when it comes to managing the technology and how employees can use it effectively, Johnson stressed.
The research suggests critical steps for organizations in closing readiness gaps, including:
- Implementing inclusive skilling approaches that accommodate all demographics and learning styles
- Developing clear AI usage policies and guidelines
- Addressing data privacy and security concerns, which more than 6 in 10 HR people cite as their top AI-related worry
- Creating personalized training programs that consider different groups’ unique barriers to AI adoption
- Fostering partnerships between businesses, educational institutions and social organizations
HR leaders, the survey emphasizes, remain “at the forefront of AI policy compliance and making sure employees understand how to responsibly use these tools,” said John Brushwood, the company’s compliance counsel.
To take full advantage of an AI-powered future, he argued, HR departments must work to close the education gap and ensure their organizations are equipped with the right training and policies to empower their people “to leverage AI ethically and responsibly.”