ManpowerGroup Survey Finds AI Skills Most In-Demand, 72% Report Hiring Difficulties
A survey of 39,000 employers in 41 countries found 72% report hiring difficulties, with AI Model & Application Development (20%) and AI Literacy (19%) now the hardest roles to fill. Engineering and IT skill shortages have eased, signalling a shift to AI-driven solutions and boosting demand for ManpowerGroup’s workforce services.
1. Survey Highlights AI Talent Shortage
The 2026 Talent Shortage Survey of 39,000 employers in 41 countries shows 72% face hiring difficulties, marking a slight drop from 74% last year. AI Model & Application Development (20%) and AI Literacy (19%) now top the list of hardest skills to find, overtaking traditional engineering and IT capabilities.
2. Regional and Industry Variations
Talent scarcity is most acute in Germany (83%), France (74%) and the U.K. (73%), while the U.S. registers 69% and China 48%. Industry pressures are broad, with the Information sector at 75% shortage, Hospitality and Public Sector both at 74%, Professional Services at 73%, Manufacturing at 72% and Finance at 71%.
3. Employer Response Strategies
Faced with structural scarcity, 91% of employers deploy a mix of strategies: upskilling and reskilling leads at 27%, followed by schedule flexibility (20%), location flexibility (18%), increased wages (19%) and targeting new talent pools (18%). Larger firms report higher shortage rates, intensifying competition for skilled workers.
4. Implications for ManpowerGroup
The rapid shift toward AI-driven talent needs underscores growth opportunities for ManpowerGroup’s staffing, training and consulting services. Heightened demand for AI literacy and development roles positions the company to expand its workforce solutions and capture new clientele seeking upskilling and flexible talent models.