AI Skills Gap Widens in APME as Talent Shortage Hits 71%: ManpowerGroup
Event summary
- 71% of APME employers report difficulty filling roles, nearly matching the global average of 72%.
- Japan (84%) and India (82%) face the most severe talent shortages in APME, while China (48%) is least affected.
- AI Model & Application Development (27%) and AI Literacy (26%) are the hardest skills to find in APME.
- Traditional IT & Data skills rank sixth (18%) in the APME talent shortage hierarchy.
The big picture
The talent scarcity in APME highlights a critical inflection point where AI skills have become foundational for workforce competitiveness. As organizations accelerate AI adoption, leaders must balance immediate workforce transformation with long-term capability building. The regional disparities in talent shortages underscore the varying degrees of preparedness and the need for tailored strategies to address these gaps.
What we're watching
- AI Skills Demand
- How the accelerating demand for AI skills will reshape hiring strategies and workforce development in APME.
- Regional Disparities
- Whether countries like Japan and India can address their severe talent shortages faster than China.
- Future-Ready Capabilities
- The pace at which organizations in APME can build deeper, future-ready AI capabilities to stay competitive.
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