Regardless of the elevated deal with synthetic intelligence in enterprise, a brand new survey reveals there’s at present low demand for AI abilities amongst high employers worldwide
The 2024 Graduate Administration Admission Council (GMAC) Company Recruiters Survey revealed AI abilities had been low within the listing of vital abilities for recruiters. That is regardless of the rise of enormous language fashions similar to ChatGPT, which have positioned AI on the forefront of enterprise discussions. Current research have additionally revealed that MBA candidates are more and more prioritizing know-how and AI abilities over core MBA topics within the curriculum.
Nevertheless, the survey did reveal that speedy developments in AI know-how anticipated within the close to future imply recruiters anticipate a significant shift of their priorities inside the subsequent 5 years.
The survey was based mostly on responses from over 900 recruiters throughout 38 international locations, with simply over half of employers (51%) hiring for International Fortune 100 or 500 firms. To offer readability on the totally different meanings of AI, the survey outlined AI abilities as the power to make the most of AI instruments for knowledge evaluation, predictive modeling, and course of automation.
Low demand for synthetic intelligence in enterprise faculty grads
Presently, AI abilities rank low in significance for employers when hiring enterprise faculty graduates. AI abilities had been listed twenty first out of twenty-two doable abilities recognized inside the survey. Solely 26% of worldwide employers view AI abilities as essential in immediately’s workforce, the examine revealed.
Nevertheless, there was consensus amongst employers that the power to leverage AI will turn out to be considerably extra vital over the following 5 years. As an example, whereas AI abilities rank because the twenty first most vital ability amongst Western European employers, they’re anticipated to turn out to be an important ability within the area inside 5 years.
Worth of AI abilities differs throughout industries
AI abilities had been most valued by survey respondents inside the tech sector, but solely 36% of tech employers stated they contemplate them vital for graduates getting into the sphere.
Curiosity in AI abilities was lowest in consulting, with simply 17% of employers viewing them as vital. Equally low charges had been seen within the healthcare/pharmaceutical (18%) and merchandise/companies (19%) industries.
These variations could also be influenced by firm budgets, as Fortune 100 firms particularly usually tend to have the assets to put money into the technical and enterprise points of AI.
Nevertheless, the variations primarily mirror the fluctuating reliance on tech abilities throughout industries and roles. The tech sector naturally calls for extra AI experience in comparison with consulting, for instance. This explains the upper demand for AI abilities in IT or software program improvement features in comparison with business-oriented positions that b-school graduates usually pursue.
What abilities are recruiters searching for in enterprise faculty graduates?
In immediately’s job market, recruiters search well-rounded candidates with a mix of technical and smooth abilities to navigate the fashionable office, the survey revealed.
Core enterprise abilities similar to communication, problem-solving, and strategic considering had been of most worth to as much as 59% of employers globally. Within the US, problem-solving emerged as essentially the most sought-after ability by 79% of employers, adopted intently by communication abilities.
When it got here to how employers believed AI needs to be leveraged, employers had been much less interested by generative AI instruments for picture and video creation and producing written content material rapidly. As a substitute, two-thirds of employers throughout varied industries and areas stated they believed AI was finest utilized for buying new abilities and creating enterprise methods.
This sentiment was significantly sturdy within the tech sector, the place employers had been much less interested by utilizing AI for analysis, ethics, and content material creation. As a substitute, 74% of tech employers stated they prioritized AI for serving to graduates purchase data and study enterprise abilities.
Attitudes in direction of AI abilities fluctuate throughout areas
The significance of AI abilities was acknowledged to various levels in several geographical areas.
Whereas simply 13% of US employers believed AI abilities to be strategically beneficial, 1 / 4 of employers from Western Europe and virtually half (49%) of employers from Central and South Asia felt it was strategically beneficial immediately.
Comparable regional disparities had been present in employers’ confidence in graduates’ AI capabilities. Greater than half of employers throughout areas—excluding the US—stated they believed that candidates are outfitted to leverage AI abilities of their organizations upon commencement.
The skepticism amongst US employers about graduate preparedness could also be as a result of they don’t see AI capabilities as crucial for present roles. Nevertheless, US employers share the prediction that AI abilities will turn out to be more and more vital within the subsequent 5 years.
