New research from Emergn reveals that 52% of organisations are unable to recruit the data and AI skills required to operationalise Artificial Intelligence. The findings highlight a critical talent gap, with technical AI expertise and human judgement both in short supply.
Key challenges identified include: data and AI skills (52%); critical thinking and analytics (35%), problem solving (26%), cross-functional leadership (24%), leadership and initiative (23%) and time management (22%).
The shortage extends beyond technical roles, impacting the ability to apply AI effectively and drive delivery. Notably, 19% of respondents also report difficulties hiring for web development, indicating pressure on core product delivery functions.
The talent gap is widespread, affecting all sectors. It is most acute in Manufacturing & Utilities (67%), Retail, Catering & Leisure (58%), IT & Telecoms (52%) and Finance (52%). Mid-sized companies (1,000-4,999 employees) report the highest difficulty, with up to 60% struggling to fill key roles, compared to 44% in larger organisations. Only 9% of respondents say hiring is straightforward, underscoring systemic challenges in building teams with the skills needed for modern product delivery.
“Many organisations assume the challenge with AI is access to technology, yet the real constraint is access to the skills that make it useful. When over half say data and AI capability is the hardest to recruit, execution slows down before AI value ever shows up, “ said Alex Adamopoulos, Chairman and CEO of Emergn.
