ARISA uncovers critical AI skills gaps in the European market?

ARISA (Artificial Intelligence Skills Alliance) uncovers the critical AI skills gap between market needs and the learning offer in Europe. The AI Skills Needs Analysis identifies the most sought-after skills for technology practitioners but also for those delivering and regulating AI technology services.

The EU project ARISA has released a comprehensive, market-oriented report on the current and future needs for AI skills that will help design a new, European strategy for AI upskilling and reskilling.

The AI Skills Needs Analysis focuses not only on technical profiles such as AI engineers but also on near-AI professionals including business and technology leaders and policymakers. This broader focus ensures that ARISA can unlock the potential of AI for everyone, taking into account privacy, bias, and trust.
The report is based on a multi-method data collection approach to formulate conclusions on the most needed AI skills and roles in Europe. The current need was investigated by performing an analysis of 7,600 job vacancies using an AI-driven tool. The report also includes an in-depth analysis of over 400 industry players’ survey responses, 240 articles, 770 learning programmes, and input from 145 experts in focus groups in twelve EU countries1 covered by the ARISA partners.
The analysis leads to the identification of 3 priority profiles where the need for professionals is projected to grow the fastest on the short and medium term: Machine Learning Engineers (including NLP Engineers and Computer Vision Engineers), Data Scientists, and Data Engineers.

The research also reveals that:
• AI management & support roles are emerging with the most foreseen need for AI strategists, AI ethics officers and AI quality controllers.
• Policymakers need guidance to deliver impactful and balanced AI adoption at both international and national levels. They rely on AI advisors who combine deeper AI            knowledge and skills with expertise in policy or business.
• AI advisors need AI skills covering, e.g., AI risk management, AI compliance, AI strategy, and implementing AI.
• The supply of learning programmes related to emerging demands like prompt engineering is very limited. Programmes to develop these skills need to be agile and modular so they can be updated fast, meeting the quickly changing needs.

Discover all findings of the AI Skills Needs Analysis. Download the report.