Transformational technology such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is paving the way for a new future of work filled with emerging roles and opportunities. According to the World Economic Forum, nearly 70 million new jobs will be created worldwide by 2027. Amidst this period of growth comes a cautious optimism as the skills gap continues to widen.

However, the solution may just lie in the problem: While AI is contributing to a larger skills deficit, demanding new and evolved roles, it can also be leveraged to identify specific areas of growth and personalized training to bridge the gap. It can also be used to free up time and space for learning opportunities and can enhance the recruitment process.

Creating Customizable Learning Journeys

Across industries, no matter the size or region, the skills gap is one of the biggest challenges companies face today, as 75% of businesses globally reported difficulty finding the skilled talent they need.

Companies can utilize AI technology to enable employees to find personalized learning courses, internal job opportunities and even mentors for team members of all skill levels. This not only benefits employees by meeting them wherever they are on their learning journey but gives organizations an overview of existing employee skills that can help them strategize and plan for future workforce needs.

For example, AI can be integrated into training programs to help personalize learning recommendations based on existing employee data and an employee’s specific development goals. Once training is complete, AI can automatically update an organization’s skills portfolio to provide an accurate skills landscape of the company.

Organizations can start to introduce AI into learning journeys by adopting existing AI training programs or as a means to select personalized training programs by sharing specific prompts or questions for employees based on how they are looking to grow. A few sample prompts could be:

1. As you consider your current role, what is a skill you would like to improve that would benefit your daily work?
2. Where would you like to be career-wise in 5 years?
3. What is a growth opportunity you would like to see the entire team lean into?

Making Time for Learning and Development

It is no secret that employees value growth, learning and development. Nearly 41% of employees will look for another job in 2024 if their company does not provide them with training opportunities.

However, despite a significant appetite for learning, a glaring problem encountered with training programs is limited bandwidth. Even if companies do offer ample learning and development (L&D) opportunities, training can fall to the bottom of the to-do list if employees have day-to-day tasks that take priority.

Along with maximizing training programs, implementing generative AI can eliminate mundane tasks such as scheduling meetings and analyzing data, giving employees the time and space needed to effectively participate in assigned training and development programs. By minimizing bandwidth issues, employees will have more time to dedicate to training and leaders will have more time to identify learning opportunities for their teams, boosting retention and employee engagement.

Enhancing Recruitment

Identifying and recruiting the right talent externally for emerging positions is also top of mind for companies. While technical skills are important in the wake of AI, cognitive and soft skills like creative problem-solving and communications are growing in importance as companies realize that AI must go hand-in-hand with human skills to be successful.

As this technology continues to evolve, companies have the opportunity to train recruiters to utilize AI programs to enhance the hiring process. AI can help to create more tailored and customizable job descriptions and interview questions. Generative AI can aid in the creation of recruitment materials by developing more in-depth, accurate descriptions as well as built-in checks for bias language, making the process more comprehensive and inclusive for everyone involved.

By introducing self-paced or group AI training programs, organizations can present their talent and development team with relevant upskilling opportunities that can strengthen the recruitment process and attract candidates who are the right fit for the team.

Refining Onboarding

Onboarding is a process that can be made more efficient with AI technology. Company leaders can use AI to help identify training needs in new employees, filling in potential gaps in onboarding programs that can save time and effort as new employees dive into new tasks.

For example, leaders can have new employees fill out a questionnaire identifying their long-term ambitions at the company and specific areas they would like to grow. These responses could then be used to prompt AI to create or recommend a training program tailored toward a new employee’s particular training needs and future career goals.

Though adoption may be intimidating, employers must embrace this new technology and identify ways to integrate it into their day-to-day strategy. Doing so can help close the widening skills gap by creating tailored training programs, allowing time and space for internal growth and enhancing the recruitment process.