More roles than ever are demanding AI skills–but the ability to work with other people is in even greater demand in talent management, according to SkyHive by Cornerstone's new 2024 Global State of the Skills Economy report.
Skills are the fundamental unit upon which the future of work is being built. The Cornerstone annual Global State of the Skills Economy report, driven by SkyHive data and analysis, is designed to track the skills transformation that is driving the labor market. The report gives corporate talent leaders, government officials, and education and training providers a glimpse of how skills demand is changing worldwide.
SkyHive used its Knowledge Graph of more than 40TB of data covering more than 200 countries and territories, including job postings, resumes, government data, and other data points in 11 languages. This insight, covering 2019-2023, provides a unique, granular view of the skills employers want–and the skills workers claim–around the world.
Some of the key takeaways from the analysis include:
- Demand for digital skills continues to rise. Based on skills in job postings, demand has increased for AI and Machine Learning (65%), Data Analytics (56%), and Automation and Robotics (36%). Demand for Bioinformatics and Genomics jumped even more, by 132%. In many cases these are still small in overall numbers, but the increases signal a trend.
- Human skills are even more in demand than digital ones. Worldwide, employers are more likely to request human skills, such as communication or critical thinking, considerably more than digital skills. In North America the demand for human skills is three times that of digital skills. Communication and collaboration are still the fundamental skills needed in any organization–even as digital skills change the specific nature of the collaboration.
- Demand for Generative AI is rising, and not just in the tech industry. Job postings asking for Generative AI have surged 411% in the past five years, with most of the increase coming since ChatGPT-4 was introduced in early 2023. The biggest increases in demand have been in fields like software development and IT, but business services, financial services, and healthcare are also looking for AI talent.
- Demand for green skills is also increasing. Demand for green skills overall (76%) and specific skills like renewable energy (67%) continue as the global transition to cleaner energy continues. Demand for sustainable investing has increased 260% since 2019.
What we’ve found is that digital skills are reshaping jobs–but that human skills still endure. Workers will collaborate with AI, but they will continue to collaborate with each other. That sends a powerful signal to both employers and education providers as they plan their talent and training strategies. Employers need to start planning now for how they will recruit, retrain, or retain the employees that can steer their companies into the new economy.
For more details, read SkyHive by Cornerstone's 2024 Global State of the Skills Economy Report.
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