Employment firm Randstad warns of inequality regarding knowledge and use of AI

Employment group Randstad is warning of an increasing knowledge inequality in dealing with artificial intelligence (AI). This threatens to worsen labor shortages if no action is taken.

Although three-quarters of the companies now use AI in their work, according to research conducted by Randstad, only 35 percent of staff members received AI training in the last year. It was also noticeable that 71 percent of the employees who were trained in AI were men, and only 29 percent were women.

There is not only a gender gap, but also a generation gap, according to Randstad, which based its findings on data from almost three million job profiles and the experiences of more than 12,000 employees worldwide. Only one in five from the baby boomer generation have been offered training in AI, according to the data, compared to almost half of gen-z generation employees.

At the same time, the temporary employment group is seeing an explosive increase in demand for personnel with AI skills. Last year alone, it was said to have increased fivefold.

“When it comes to AI, the demand is growing at an incredible pace, and this also goes for the AI inequality gap which it creates,” said Randstad CEO Sander van ’t Noordende. “Unless we recognize this and take active steps to address it, the pool of workers prepared for the future of work will be too small – causing even more shortages across sectors.”

Randstad sees opportunities to bridge the AI ​​skills gap and address the talent shortage. One of the group's recommendations to companies and organizations is to take a closer look at their training options. The company also advocates more partnerships between companies, educational institutions, and social organizations.