Talent scarcity…
… Fact or fiction?
… of workers felt that they understood AI technology already
… of workers were confident that they could develop the skills need to leverage AI in their role
Source: Accenture: Pulse of Change survey
According to Accenture, these views have the potential to lead to a trust gap. Crucially,
“although 95% of workers surveyed see value in working with gen AI, they don’t trust organisations to ensure positive outcomes for everyone.2 And two-thirds (65%) of CxOs surveyed confess that they are ill-equipped to lead this change”.3
… of workers see value in working with AI but don’t trust organisations to ensure positive outcomes for everyone
… of CxOs believe that they are ill-equipped to lead the change
2. Accenture Change Workforce Survey (Oct-Nov 2023): n=5,000 employees
3. Accenture: Total Enterprise Reinvention Survey (Oct-Nov 2023): n=1,500 CxOs
Impact of AI on human work
Accenture has also mapped the scale of the potential impact of AI on human work, suggesting that it may affect 47% of working hours in the UK (24% through automation and 23% with augmentation) and 45% (23% and 23%, respectively) in the US.4 By industry, there is a sizeable forecast potential impact from AI (notably through augmentation) within Capital Markets (72% of working hours), Software & Platforms (68%), Banking (67%) and Insurance (65%). Ultimately, AI has the capability of completing tasks more efficiently or effectively, thereby potentially increasing productivity within the same amount of working hours. In some cases, this could result in individuals being able to accomplish more complex tasks whilst AI churns through tasks that can be automated.
By country
By industry
4. Accenture: Work, Workforce, Workers reinvented in the age of generative AI, January 2024
Note: Estimates are based on “Human+Machine” identification of work tasks and exposure to impact of generative AI.
Source: Accenture Research based on National Statistical Institutes and O*Net.
…fact or fiction
A third (32%) of CxOs recently surveyed by Accenture across the globe view talent scarcity - due to skills gaps or unawareness – as a major barrier in utilising GenAI. 36% also attribute workers’ reluctance to embrace GenAI to a lack of technological understanding.1
1. Accenture: Pulse of Change survey, Wave 10 (Sept 2023): n=2,425 CxOs
High inflation compounds the importance of financial reward. Research by YouGov in the U.K., in mid-December 2022, evidenced that – with 74% of adults worried about their financial situation due to the rising cost of living – the key motivator for finding a new job in 2023 was cited (by 57% of survey respondents) as being to achieve a higher wage.
Moreover, the research showed how candidate expectations were shifting and people were becoming more selective in the roles they consider: 62% of UK respondents were more likely to ignore a job ad that does not disclose details of salary / earnings.
A similar survey in the U.S., by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in March 2023, found that 74% of individuals were less interested in applying for jobs where pay details were not included in the job ad.