A global AI skills gap is emerging, with 42% more men than women reporting proficiency in AI, according to a report by Randstad, Understanding Talent Scarcity: AI and Equity.

Randstad’s research warns that AI inequities, if unaddressed, could worsen labour shortages against a backdrop of structural talent scarcity.

Overall, 71% of AI-skilled workers are men while just 29% are women. Meanwhile, 22% of baby boomers and 28% of Gen X have been offered AI skilling opportunities, compared to 45% of Gen Z and 43% of millennials.

The research also found that younger talent is acquiring AI skills at unprecedented rates, growing by 292% compared to an average of 110%, showing early signs of a narrowing gender gap. Women who have been working around 30 years account for only 21% of talent with AI skills, however when looking at those with less than 1 year of experience, this rises to 34%.

Randstad CEO Sander van ‘t Noordende said in a press release, ”Talent scarcity is a significant global challenge, and so equitable access to skilling, resources and opportunities needs to be a fundamental part of addressing this. However, when it comes to AI, demand continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, and so does the AI equity gap it is creating.”

“Unless we recognise and take active steps to address this, the pool of workers who are prepared for the future of work will be too small - creating even more shortages across industries,” van ‘t Noordende added.

When it comes to AI skilling, women are not only 5% less likely to be offered AI skilling opportunities, but they also feel less confident (30%) than men (35%) that the training they have received has adequately prepared them to utilize the technology in their careers.

According to Randstad, this points to a divergence forming between men and women, with men more likely to be able to capitalise on the surge in demand for AI roles in today’s global job market. This can already be seen in advanced technical areas such as Deep Learning, where 76% of the talent pool is male, Randstad noted.

Meanwhile, a generational gap is evident in job mobility. Younger talent with AI skills, particularly those with 1-5 years of experience, reported a 33% job change rate last year, reflecting high demand and greater movement in the job market. In contrast, baby boomers, along with many Gen X (19%) and millennial workers (25%), are remaining more static in their careers, increasing the risk of being left behind as AI becomes more integral to future job opportunities.

Notably, Gen Z workers are twice as likely (63%) to seek AI learning opportunities outside the workplace compared to baby boomers (27%). Moreover, only 34% of baby boomers believe AI can make their work easier, compared to 63% of Gen Z, 58% of millennials, and 44% of Gen X.

The insights were derived from data from nearly three million job profiles and the experiences of over 12,000 workers around the world.