AI talent gap widening as demand outpaces supply

_{Source: Bain & Company}

The report, however, noted that the number of qualified candidates is not catching up with the demand, creating a talent gap in organisations.

In the United States, Bain forecasts that one in two AI jobs could be left unfilled by 2027, as job demand could reach more than 1.3 million in the next two years, while supply will only reach less than 645,000.

Germany could see the biggest AI talent gap, according to Bain, with around 70% of the country's 190,000 – 219,000 estimated AI job openings expected to be unfilled by 2027. For other countries, Bain projects that:

• The United Kingdom may see talent shortfalls of more than 50%, where just 105,000 AI workers will be available to fill up to 255,000 AI jobs by 2027.
• India could also see 2.3 million job openings for AI roles by 2027, with its workforce only growing around 1.2 million.
• Australia could also see a shortfall of more than 60,000 AI professionals by 2027, as job openings could rise up to 146,000, with just 84,000 AI specialists filling them.

Lack of human skills

Separate findings from LinkedIn revealed that talent with the right balance of AI expertise and human skills is also hard to find.

More than four in 10 (41%) HR professionals in the Asia-Pacific region revealed that only less than half of job applicants meet all required and preferred qualifications for the role. Among the hardest skills to find include:

• Technical fluency (36%)
• Leadership (35%)
• Soft skills like communication and problem solving (34.5%)

The findings come as 95% of learning and development (L&D) professionals in APAC emphasise that creativity, curiosity, and communication are also important in addition to technical know-how.

Upskilling is the way forward

The gap in AI talent is seen as a key barrier for implementing generative AI at work, according to 44% of executives in Bain's report.

_{Source: Bain & Company}

"Executives see the growing AI talent gap as a major roadblock to innovation, limiting businesses' ability to scale and compete in an AI-driven world," said Sarah Elk, Americas head of AI, Insights, and Solutions at Bain & Company, in a statement.

"Companies navigating this increasingly competitive hiring landscape need to take action now, upskilling existing teams, expanding hiring strategies, and rethinking ways to attract and retain AI talent."

Upskilling is also the focus of organisations in LinkedIn's APAC-focused report, where 78.3% of the respondents ranked helping employees build new skills as a top priority for them in 2025.

Among the top skills that they are prioritising include AI skills (73.5%) as well as communication and collaboration (77%).

"As technology, especially AI, reshapes the workforce, businesses and HR leaders must keep people at the heart of their talent strategies," said Sumita Tandon, HR director, APAC, LinkedIn, in a statement. "The companies that will thrive are those that embed a culture of continuous upskilling and reskilling, ensuring employees are prepared for the future."

Upskilling employees in AI

For organisations seeking to upskill their staff in AI, Marc Booker, Ph.D., Vice Provost, Strategy at University of Phoenix, offered on The Learning Counsel the following key steps:

• Believe that existing employees can lean into AI and have the skills and abilities to be upskilled instead of going outside of the organisation
• Create an environment that encourages the exploration of AI solutions in the workplace
• Come up with an organisational philosophy on AI
• Implement mentorship and community of practice opportunities