Skills gaps could leave half of AI roles unfilled by 2028
The UK could face a shortage of more than 160,000 AI professionals by 2028 – more than half what will be needed – as demand for digital talent continues to outpace domestic supply, according to a new analysis.
The research from recruiter Robert Walters and payments platform Native Teams has suggested demand for AI professionals in the UK could reach almost 300,000 by 2028, against an estimated domestic supply of just 137,000.
Employers are already investing heavily in AI and automation technologies in an effort to improve operational efficiency and strengthen competitiveness, it argued. But shortages in experienced AI talent are pushing many businesses to look beyond local markets to fill critical roles.
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This trend is only likely to accelerate, with employers’ ability to tap into international skills pools becoming increasingly important. Over the next decade, organisations that benefit most from AI will be those who are able to build and access the talent needed to operationalise it effectively.
In fact, addressing AI talent shortages through international hiring could help support productivity growth of up to 1.5% points annually, the analysis argued.
Phill Brown, global head of market intelligence at Robert Walters, said: “The scale of projected demand for AI talent is expected to significantly outpace domestic supply growth in many advanced economies, including the UK.
“Historically, major advances in technology only translated into meaningful productivity growth once organisations had the workforce capability to implement them at scale. The same dynamic is now emerging with AI, where access to experienced talent will play a defining role in how quickly businesses can convert investment into measurable economic output.
“For the UK, strengthening domestic skills pipelines will remain critical, but access to global expertise is also becoming an increasingly important part of how businesses scale capability and stay competitive,” he added.
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Source: www.personneltoday.com