AI Adoption hindered by growing skills gap

From ranking potential recruitment candidates to analysing satellite imagery, AI is constantly proving that it is already more than just a buzzword. In fact, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has announced plans to build an AI-focused college by 2022.

It’s not just education which is seeing the importance of artificial intelligence, global companies such as Google have shifted their focus towards AI. However, as more tech giants follow suit, the skills gap becomes more visible.

AI has grown rapidly and multi-national companies are looking to secure the data scientists, machine learning professionals and other technical experts who can help create new innovations. However, due to artificial intelligence still being a generally young industry, there’s a shortage of those with the right skillsets.

These gaps are typically hard to quantify, but Chinese technology company Tecent reported that there are currently about 300,000 AI practitioners and researchers worldwide and millions of roles available for experts with their qualifications. Alongside this, O’Reilly’s 2018 survey shows that 56% of senior AI experts believe a lack of qualified AI professionals is the biggest barrier to implementation across business operations.

When asked about the cause of this skills crisis, experts typically point the finger to the speed at which innovation happens in the digital industry and the difficulties both academic and training programs face when trying to keep up. This causes even more issues for the AI industry as not only do professionals need training, but they also need on-the-job experience to help lead implementation.

The importance for businesses to begin planning for and adapting to AI is only growing as organisations look to stay at the forefront of their industry. While this affects each sector differently, manufacturing is standing out as an industry in need of digital and IT talent to help them evolve through the Internet of Things and upgrade to smart factories.

For experts who work within IT and digital, the growth of AI means that a whole new world of opportunities is set to open. Careers in artificial intelligence generally have a higher skill threshold than other IT and digital roles as the systems that need developing and maintaining are typically more complex. So, whether a professional has experience in development, big data or machine learning, there are careers with lucrative salaries available to them.

 According to Reed, 5 of the best-paying jobs in AI include:

• Data Science Manager - £85,000
• Big Data Engineer - £75,000
• Machine Learning Engineer - £67,000
• Software Engineer - £59,000
• Automation Engineer - £36,000

The demand for AI jobs within the UK is only increasing as the sector grows quicker here than in America, Canada and Australia. Britain’s reputation as a tech leader has helped make it a global leader in the booming artificial intelligence industry

Senitor, we specialise in connecting talented digital and IT professional with the opportunities that help them thrive. So, if you’re looking for a new role or you need the best talent the industry has to offer, contact us today and see how we can help.