The Need for Upskilling and Reskilling

As AI technologies continue to reshape the workplace, there is a pressing need for employers to focus on upskilling and reskilling their workforce to enhance AI literacy. The rapid rise in AI-specific skills, such as question-answering and classification, highlights the growing demand for specialized AI roles. To fill these new roles, businesses must prioritize hiring based on skills rather than traditional credentials like degrees or previous job titles.

AI Skills Diffusion Across Geographies and Industries

AI skills have been spreading rapidly across different countries and industries. LinkedIn’s AI Skills Index indicates that by June 2023, the number of members with AI skills had increased ninefold since January 2016. Countries like Singapore, Finland, Ireland, India, and Canada lead in AI skills diffusion, with significant growth also observed in non-tech industries such as retail, education, financial services, and more.

Executive and Employee Sentiment on AI

Executives are optimistic about the potential of AI to enhance productivity and drive revenue growth. The LinkedIn Executive Confidence Index shows that 51% of US executives agree that generative AI will boost productivity, and 44% plan to increase AI usage in their organizations. Professionals, on the other hand, are generally excited about how AI can improve their work efficiency. According to Microsoft’s 2023 Work Trend Index Annual Report, 70% of people are willing to delegate tasks to AI to reduce their workloads.

Embracing AI for Future Growth

The LinkedIn report highlights that engaging with AI at work is becoming the norm, with a significant rise in AI skills and AI-related roles. Companies and professionals are increasingly leveraging LinkedIn’s AI-assisted tools to enhance productivity and build AI confidence. AI’s potential to reshape the workplace and drive economic opportunity is immense, and its successful integration depends on the widespread adoption of AI skills across geographies and industries.

People skills are becoming more critical than ever.

People skills are becoming more critical than ever. In fact, since the launch of ChatGPT, some of the fastest-growing skills in job postings in the US are people skills, such as flexibility and ethics. This demonstrates how people skills are at the heart of jobs and how we come together to collaborate at work. According to the LinkedIn US Executive Confidence Index Survey conducted in June 2023, 61% of US executives agree that people skills are more important than ever. This underscores the increasing recognition of the essential role these skills play in fostering effective teamwork and driving organizational success.