Against a backdrop of structural talent scarcity, Randstad research highlights how AI inequities stand to worsen labor shortages if left unchecked.
- While 75% of companies are adopting AI, only 35% of talent have received AI training in the last year.
- 71% of AI-skilled workers are men and just 29% women - a 42 percentage point gender gap.
- Just one in five Baby Boomers have been offered AI skilling opportunities, compared to almost half of Gen Z workers
As the demand for talent with AI skills skyrockets, growing fivefold in the last year, Randstad’s latest report, Understanding Talent Scarcity: AI and Equity, has found that there is also an AI skills gap taking hold. The insights were derived from data from nearly three million job profiles and the experiences of over 12,000 talent around the world.
The data brings into focus a stark divide in access to AI training and opportunities, with 42% more men than women reporting AI proficiency, and just 22% of Baby Boomers and 28% of Gen X have been offered AI skilling opportunities, compared to 45% of Gen Z and 43% of Millennials.
However, with younger talent driving AI skills acquisition at unprecedented rates, growing by 292% vs an average of 110%, this has also brought early signs of a narrowing gender gap. Women who have been working around 30 years account for only 21% of talent with AI skills, however when looking at those with less than 1 year of experience, this rises to 34%.
Randstad CEO, Sander van ‘t Noordende, commented: "Talent scarcity is a significant global challenge, and so equitable access to skilling, resources and opportunities needs to be a fundamental part of addressing this. However, when it comes to AI, demand continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, and so does the AI equity gap it is creating. Unless we recognize and take active steps to address this, the pool of workers who are prepared for the future of work will be too small - creating even more shortages across industries.”
bridging the 42 percentage point AI gender divide.
There are clear shortcomings when it comes to gender equity and AI opportunities at work. Just over a third of women have been offered access by their employers to use it in their role (35%) compared with two-fifths of men (41%) and men are 10% more likely than women to use AI to problem-solve at work.
When it comes to AI skilling, women are not only 5% less likely to be offered AI skilling opportunities, but they also feel less confident (30%) than men (35%) that the training they have received has adequately prepared them to utilize the technology in their careers.
This points to a divergence forming between men and women, with men more likely to be able to capitalize on the surge in demand for AI roles in today’s global job market. This can already be seen in advanced technical areas such as Deep Learning, where 76% of the talent pool is male.
older workers over twice less likely to receive AI skilling.
The report highlights a significant generational divide in AI adoption. While younger workers are rapidly embracing AI in their roles, Baby Boomers are notably lagging. Less than one in three (31%) Baby Boomers currently use AI, while nearly half (48%) of Gen Z are leveraging the technology, potentially boosting their productivity and positioning themselves more favorably for AI-driven roles.
This generational gap is also evident in job mobility. Younger talent with AI skills, particularly those with 1-5 years of experience, reported a 33% job change rate last year, reflecting high demand and greater movement in the job market. In contrast, Baby Boomers, along with many Gen X (19%) and Millennial workers (25%), are remaining more static in their careers, increasing the risk of being left behind as AI becomes more integral to future job opportunities.
Notably, Gen Z workers are twice as likely (63%) to seek AI learning opportunities outside the workplace compared to Baby Boomers (27%). Moreover, only 34% of Baby Boomers believe AI can make their work easier, compared to 63% of Gen Z, 58% of Millennials, and 44% of Gen X.
steps to bridge the AI skills gap and address talent scarcity.
To address the widening AI skills gap and ensure all demographics can contribute to enhanced productivity in the fight against talent scarcity, Randstad’s report provides key recommendations for organizations to promote equitable AI adoption.
- Rethink skilling: Organizations must adopt faster, more inclusive skilling approaches to ensure that all demographics can keep up with rapidly evolving AI technologies.
- Explore possibilities & limitations: It is crucial for companies to critically assess both the potential and limitations of AI, addressing biases and ensuring that talent is well-prepared to use the technology effectively.
- Take a personalized approach: Employers should understand the unique barriers different groups face in AI adoption and tailor skilling opportunities to meet these diverse needs.
- Foster collaboration: Partnerships between businesses, educational institutions, and societal organizations are essential to bridge AI skills gaps and ensure long-term equity across all demographics.
In celebration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2024, Randstad will publish an additional press release with new insights and data on AI workplace experiences specific to this demographic.
about Randstad.
Randstad is a global talent leader with the vision to be the world’s most equitable and specialized talent company. As a partner for talent and through our four specializations - Operational, Professional, Digital and Enterprise - we provide clients with the high-quality, diverse and agile workforces that they need to succeed in a talent scarce world. We help people secure meaningful roles, develop relevant skills and find purpose and belonging in their workplace. Through the value we create, we are committed to a better and more sustainable future for all.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, Randstad operates in 39 markets and has approximately 40,000 employees. In 2023, we supported 2 million talent to find work and generated a revenue of €25.4 billion. Randstad N.V. is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam. For more information, see www.randstad.com
about the ai & equity report.
The survey connected to this report explores the views of working people in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America. It is based on primary data collected from 12,429 respondents in 15 markets between 5 and 22 August 2024, along with secondary research compiled using data from almost 3 million job profiles from September 2023 to September 2024. For the primary research, Randstad partnered with Evalueserve, a global research and analysis firm.