While AI is heralded as a transformative force across industries, a quieter challenge threatens to slow its momentum: the growing shortage of skilled AI professionals. Behind the buzz of breakthroughs lies a stark reality — companies are racing to adopt AI, but many are leaving their people behind. Recent data shows the skills required for AI-exposed jobs are evolving 66 percent faster than for other roles — a dramatic leap from just 25 percent a year ago. The demand for AI talent is surging in the UK, where the job market is cooling off. Yet, as job postings requiring AI skills continue to climb, this only underscores a critical imbalance felt across the job market.
These numbers paint a clear picture: the demand for AI talent is outpacing the supply of workers, creating a skills gap that threatens to stall innovation. To address this crisis, businesses must look inward and invest in continuous learning and strategic upskilling, making it a core component of their workplace operations.
The AI Talent Shortage Is Real and Growing
Before companies can realise the benefits of AI, from more brilliant customer service, real-time fraud detection services and enhanced healthcare imaging and diagnostics, they must contend with the possible disruptions AI could bring to their workplaces. According to the World Economic Forum, executives estimate that they will need to reskill 40 percent of their workforce due to implementing AI or automation over the next few years. This is primarily to help employees improve their technical proficiency and critical thinking skills needed to use AI effectively.
This emerging technology is likely to impact some industries more than others. A 2024 Gartner survey found that GenAI will create new roles in software engineering and operations, leading to 80 percent of the engineering workforce undergoing upskilling.
Furthermore, 56 percent of software engineering leaders identified AI and ML engineers as the most in-demand role, where the most significant skills gap is embedding AI in existing business applications. This doesn’t just create a hiring challenge – it establishes a strategic risk for the industry overall. Without the right talent, even the most advanced AI initiatives can stall before they start.
Continuous Learning Is the Only Sustainable Solution
Businesses must embed continuous learning into their DNA to keep pace with AI’s rapid evolution. The good news is that employees are eager to evolve. Unisys’ recent AI Business Impact research has found that nearly 80 percent of employees believe gaining AI skills will accelerate their careers, and 44 percent of those who saved time using AI tools reinvested it in professional development. The appetite for learning is there — what’s needed is a strategic framework to support it.
When establishing training and upskilling programs, companies must carefully plan how AI and relevant tools will be used daily. From there, they can plan how best to use them to assist employees and drive meaningful results for clients. Once this is determined, business leaders should incorporate training dedicated to creating a tech-enabled workforce across all levels, regardless of job titles or seniority. Through a mix of online, instructor-led and forum-based training, companies can help their employees master new skills necessary to complete their jobs.
Today, 58 percent of companies are implementing AI training programs. But it doesn’t stop there. Governments are stepping in too: the UK recently launched TechFirst, a £187 million national AI skills initiative to train 7.5 million workers by 2030. Backed by tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and NVIDIA, the program includes TechYouth, a strand dedicated to bringing AI education to 1 million secondary school students.
Future-Proofing the Workforce Is a Business Imperative
AI isn’t a one-time disruption — it’s a continuous evolution. Employers can ensure they are ready to address future challenges and meet the needs of tomorrow’s marketplace by encouraging employees to use and experiment with AI tools. Encouragingly, 61 percent of workers believe AI will create more jobs than it eliminates, reinforcing the need to prepare for new roles rather than fear them.
AI is especially useful in establishing clear ways for employees to save time on manual, repetitive tasks, allowing them to reinvest their time into more complex initiatives. Recently, Microsoft released a study that found traditional 9-to-5 employees are interrupted every two minutes by meetings, emails and instant messaging pings. Additionally, the average worker receives 117 emails and 153 messages every day.
Employees need assistance to meet today’s demanding workplace challenges, and AI is primed to provide it. By automating deliverables like meeting summaries, email management and even the drafting and editing of some documents, employees are better equipped to meet daily demands.
Winning the AI race isn’t just about deploying the latest tools — it’s about preparing people to use them. Companies that thrive in the AI era will treat workforce readiness not as a side initiative but as a core business strategy. The future belongs to those who learn.
Bottom Line
The AI revolution is not slowing down – it will not wait for businesses or the workforce to catch up. It is imperative that business leaders take action now in two key areas:
- Identify the roles that require training in how to more effectively use AI.
- Identify the roles needing training in how to integrate AI in existing business processes.
To stay competitive, businesses must treat learning as a strategic priority, not a perk. Those who invest in upskilling today will be the innovation leaders of tomorrow.
July 29, 2025
Why winning the AI race starts with workforce readiness
by Weston Morris • AI, Comment, Workplace
These numbers paint a clear picture: the demand for AI talent is outpacing the supply of workers, creating a skills gap that threatens to stall innovation. To address this crisis, businesses must look inward and invest in continuous learning and strategic upskilling, making it a core component of their workplace operations.
The AI Talent Shortage Is Real and Growing
Before companies can realise the benefits of AI, from more brilliant customer service, real-time fraud detection services and enhanced healthcare imaging and diagnostics, they must contend with the possible disruptions AI could bring to their workplaces. According to the World Economic Forum, executives estimate that they will need to reskill 40 percent of their workforce due to implementing AI or automation over the next few years. This is primarily to help employees improve their technical proficiency and critical thinking skills needed to use AI effectively.
This emerging technology is likely to impact some industries more than others. A 2024 Gartner survey found that GenAI will create new roles in software engineering and operations, leading to 80 percent of the engineering workforce undergoing upskilling.
Furthermore, 56 percent of software engineering leaders identified AI and ML engineers as the most in-demand role, where the most significant skills gap is embedding AI in existing business applications. This doesn’t just create a hiring challenge – it establishes a strategic risk for the industry overall. Without the right talent, even the most advanced AI initiatives can stall before they start.
Continuous Learning Is the Only Sustainable Solution
Businesses must embed continuous learning into their DNA to keep pace with AI’s rapid evolution. The good news is that employees are eager to evolve. Unisys’ recent AI Business Impact research has found that nearly 80 percent of employees believe gaining AI skills will accelerate their careers, and 44 percent of those who saved time using AI tools reinvested it in professional development. The appetite for learning is there — what’s needed is a strategic framework to support it.
When establishing training and upskilling programs, companies must carefully plan how AI and relevant tools will be used daily. From there, they can plan how best to use them to assist employees and drive meaningful results for clients. Once this is determined, business leaders should incorporate training dedicated to creating a tech-enabled workforce across all levels, regardless of job titles or seniority. Through a mix of online, instructor-led and forum-based training, companies can help their employees master new skills necessary to complete their jobs.
Today, 58 percent of companies are implementing AI training programs. But it doesn’t stop there. Governments are stepping in too: the UK recently launched TechFirst, a £187 million national AI skills initiative to train 7.5 million workers by 2030. Backed by tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and NVIDIA, the program includes TechYouth, a strand dedicated to bringing AI education to 1 million secondary school students.
Future-Proofing the Workforce Is a Business Imperative
AI isn’t a one-time disruption — it’s a continuous evolution. Employers can ensure they are ready to address future challenges and meet the needs of tomorrow’s marketplace by encouraging employees to use and experiment with AI tools. Encouragingly, 61 percent of workers believe AI will create more jobs than it eliminates, reinforcing the need to prepare for new roles rather than fear them.
AI is especially useful in establishing clear ways for employees to save time on manual, repetitive tasks, allowing them to reinvest their time into more complex initiatives. Recently, Microsoft released a study that found traditional 9-to-5 employees are interrupted every two minutes by meetings, emails and instant messaging pings. Additionally, the average worker receives 117 emails and 153 messages every day.
Employees need assistance to meet today’s demanding workplace challenges, and AI is primed to provide it. By automating deliverables like meeting summaries, email management and even the drafting and editing of some documents, employees are better equipped to meet daily demands.
Winning the AI race isn’t just about deploying the latest tools — it’s about preparing people to use them. Companies that thrive in the AI era will treat workforce readiness not as a side initiative but as a core business strategy. The future belongs to those who learn.
Bottom Line
The AI revolution is not slowing down – it will not wait for businesses or the workforce to catch up. It is imperative that business leaders take action now in two key areas:
To stay competitive, businesses must treat learning as a strategic priority, not a perk. Those who invest in upskilling today will be the innovation leaders of tomorrow.