Most Employers Don't Want To Hire People Without AI Skills: New Data

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is influencing the way people work, lead and hire around the world, according to the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report by Microsoft and LinkedIn. 

The report, titled "AI at work is here. Now comes the hard part", was released on Wednesday, May 8. 

It claimed that in the last six months, the use of Artificial Intelligence has “nearly doubled.” 

The research was “based on a survey of 31,000 people across 31 countries, labour and hiring trends on LinkedIn, trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals, and research with Fortune 500 customers.”

The research discovered that 75 per cent of “knowledge workers” across the globe use AI in the workplace. It added that the employees, who struggle to keep up with the pace and the volume of the work, believe that “AI saves time, boosts creativity, and allows them to focus on their most important work.”

It is worth noting that while 79 per cent of leaders agree that “AI adoption is critical to remain competitive”, 59 per cent “worry about quantifying the productivity gains of AI.”

On the other hand, about 60 per cent claim that their company lacks a vision and plan to implement it.

The report noted that 78 per cent of AI users are bringing their own tools to work —"Bring Your Own AI (BYOAI)”

It added, “A majority of leaders (55%) are concerned about having enough talent to fill roles this year with leaders in cybersecurity, engineering and creative design feeling the pinch most. And professionals are looking. Forty-six per cent across the globe are considering quitting in the year ahead — an all-time high since the Great Reshuffle of 2021.”

The research found “Four types of AI users” — from skeptics who rarely use AI to power users who use it extensively.

“Over 90 per cent of power users say AI makes their overwhelming workload more manageable and their work more enjoyable, but they aren't doing it on their own. These users are 61 per cent more likely to have heard from their CEO on the importance of using generative AI at work, 53 per cent more likely to receive encouragement from leadership to consider how AI can transform their function, and 35 per cent more likely to receive tailored AI training for their specific role or function,” added the report.

LinkedIn has witnessed a significant rise in professionals adding AI skills to their profiles. In addition, most leaders, on the other hand, claim that they won't hire an employee without AI skills.

The report added, “But with many leaders worried their company lacks an AI vision, and employees bringing their own AI tools to work, leaders have reached the hard part of any tech disruption: moving from experimentation to tangible business impact.”