Organizations worldwide are grappling with unprecedented skills shortages as the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence reshapes workforce demands. According to a recent survey by ManpowerGroup covering 39,063 employers across 41 countries, 72% of companies report difficulty filling roles, highlighting a persistent skills gap that affects businesses of all sizes. However, the nature of these shortages reveals an interesting trend: while AI skills have become critically important, human leadership capabilities remain equally essential for organizational success.
The ManpowerGroup research indicates that AI skills have surpassed traditional engineering and IT capabilities to become the most difficult competencies for employers to find globally. Specifically, 20% of employers cite AI model and application development as particularly challenging to source, while 19% struggle to find candidates with AI literacy. Meanwhile, engineering skills, sales and marketing expertise, and manufacturing capabilities round out the list of hard-to-find technical competencies.
Human Skills Remain Critical Despite AI Advancement
Despite the growing emphasis on artificial intelligence skills, human capabilities continue to top employer wish lists. Communication, collaboration, and teamwork are sought by 39% of employers surveyed, making them the most desired attributes overall. Additionally, professionalism and work ethic are valued by 36% of organizations, while adaptability and willingness to learn rank as priorities for 34%.
This dual demand reflects a fundamental shift in how organizations approach talent acquisition and development. The competition for AI capabilities is described as “fierce” by the study’s authors, yet these technical skills cannot deliver meaningful results without the accompanying soft skills that enable effective implementation and adoption.
Leadership Skills Essential for AI Implementation
The convergence of technical and human skills requirements points to a need for what might be called tech-savvy renaissance professionals. These individuals must be capable of recruiting, motivating, and inspiring teams while simultaneously understanding which AI models and applications will work best for their specific business contexts. According to Sandra Durth of McKinsey in a recent essay, agentic AI introduces a new paradigm where humans and AI agents work together rather than separately.
Durth emphasizes that value creation will depend less on technical sophistication alone and more on whether people trust, adopt, and effectively collaborate with AI systems. This fundamentally becomes a leadership challenge rather than merely a technological one.
Redefining Work Around Human Strengths
As AI agents assume analytical, administrative, and coordination tasks, organizations must focus on cultivating uniquely human contributions. Durth identifies judgment, empathy, decision-making, and systems thinking as critical areas where humans complement rather than compete with machines. These capabilities cannot be automated and become increasingly valuable as AI handles more routine functions.
In contrast to fears about AI displacing workers, the current reality shows that adoption becomes more likely when employees are involved in shaping how agents are used. Empowering workers to act as change agents rather than having systems imposed on them drives more successful implementation, according to Durth.
Organizations Respond With Upskilling Initiatives
To address the dual shortage of AI skills and leadership capabilities, 91% of employers in the ManpowerGroup survey are deploying mixed strategies. The primary approach involves upskilling or reskilling existing employees, cited by 27% of organizations as their main tactic. This approach allows companies to develop both technical competencies and human skills simultaneously within their current workforce.
Durth notes that gaining advantage from artificial intelligence is fundamentally a people process. Organizations that redesign work, leadership, and learning around people rather than technology alone position themselves for greater success in the AI era.
As the global skills shortage continues, employers will likely intensify their focus on comprehensive training programs that blend technical AI capabilities with essential human skills. The timeline for resolving these shortages remains uncertain, though organizations investing in employee development now may gain competitive advantages as the talent landscape evolves.
