A recent report by SkyHive, titled Global State of the Skills Economy, reveals that India reported the highest demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) jobs during the first half of 2024, with a notable growth rate of 4.1%. Following India are Germany at 2.5%, Japan at 2.2%, and the US at 2.1%.

The report emphasizes a significant rise in job postings related to AI, ML, and generative AI (GenAI). Since 2019, AI and ML job postings have surged by 65%, while GenAI roles have skyrocketed by 411%. Despite this digital skills boom, the demand for human skills—such as leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence—remains substantially higher. Globally, human skills are in demand twice as much as digital skills.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) job postings have also seen impressive growth, increasing by 154% over the past five years. This sector is gaining traction as industries explore AR/VR applications beyond entertainment, venturing into areas like training simulations and remote collaboration.

While demand for GenAI skills is primarily concentrated in technology sectors like software development and IT consulting, other industries—including financial services, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and banking—are also showing increased interest.

In North America, the demand for human skills is 2.4 times greater than for digital skills, while in Europe, this figure rises to 2.9 times. Key human skills in demand include communication, interpersonal collaboration, and problem-solving.

The report highlights a growing preference for remote and flexible work arrangements, which have risen by 39%. Australia (22.8%) and Germany (21%) lead in job postings for remote roles, followed by New Zealand (20.3%) and the UK (18.8%). In contrast, France (4.9%) and Italy (1.4%) show the lowest demand for such positions.

Mike Bollinger, Global VP of Strategic Initiatives at Cornerstone, stated, “Monitoring evolving skills and workplace trends is crucial for maintaining competitiveness. Our findings underscore a workforce readiness gap, where skills are advancing faster than organizations can adapt.”

Bledi Taska, Head of Analytics at SkyHive, added, “By blending historical trends with real-time data, we can better anticipate changes in workforce demands. The exponential rise of GenAI skills reflects a broader pattern of technological integration in everyday operations.”