UK Companies Prioritize Basic IT Skills Over AI, New Report Reveals

Forget AI -- most UK firms just want to hire basic IT skills

Despite ongoing interest surrounding artificial intelligence technologies embedded into work environments, UK businesses are still prioritizing hiring workers with basic technical skills. New research by Indeed found only 2.6% of job postings in the UK mentioned AI skills, with basic skills like Microsoft Office and generic IT expertise coming up more frequently. According to the report, the most common technical skills sought by UK employers include generic IT skills (10%), Microsoft Office (6%) and Microsoft Excel (5%). Moreover, demand for basic IT skills has remained pretty consistent over the past five years, both in the UK and in other markets like the US. Besides tech skills, Indeed found that UK employers are also prioritizing human skills like communication (30%), leadership (9%) and organization (7%). Moreover, Indeed's research into the current state of the UK jobs market tackles ongoing concern that AI could replace human workers. The analysis of over 2,800 work skills found that two-thirds (68.7%) are 'very unlikely' or 'unlikely' to be replaced by generative AI. "While AI and other advanced technologies are likely to shape the future labour market, the current reality is that many employers are simply seeking workers with basic computer skills," commented Indeed Senior Economist Jack Kennedy. "While AI may eventually necessitate a broad upskilling across the workforce to embrace advanced technologies, there remains a more pressing concern around closing basic digital skills gaps and allowing everyone to fully engage with work in the digital age." This is despite Britain's Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer's ambitions to make the UK a global AI hub. Despite the Prime Minister's efforts, the current jobs market suggests businesses are not yet aligned with the vision, with employers still seeking fundamental tech skills and human competencies.

UK companies are ignoring AI: this latest report bursts the AI bubble - Softonic

Most British companies only want to hire workers with basic IT knowledge, not AI experts Everyone is obsessed with artificial intelligence. Or at least that's what it seems if we look at company investments over the past two years. Well, according to a new study, British companies continue to prioritize hiring workers with basic technical knowledge. According to the study by Indeed, only 2.6% of job postings in the United Kingdom mention AI skills, while basic skills like Microsoft Office and general IT experience are more common. According to the report, what English companies most request are general computer skills (10%), Microsoft Office (6%), and Microsoft Excel (5%). Additionally, the demand for basic computer skills has remained fairly constant over the past five years, both in the United Kingdom and in other markets such as the United States. In addition to technological skills, Indeed found that UK employers are also prioritizing human skills such as communication (30%), leadership (9%), and organization (7%). Indeed's research on the current state of the British labor market addresses the current concern that AI could replace human workers. The analysis of more than 2,800 job skills revealed that it is "very unlikely" or "unlikely" that two-thirds (68.7%) will be replaced by generative AI. "While AI may eventually require a broad upskilling of the entire workforce to adopt advanced technologies, there remains a more pressing concern around closing basic digital skills gaps and enabling everyone to fully engage with work in the digital age," the report explains. The current job market suggests that companies are still not aligned with this vision, as employers continue to seek technological skills and fundamental human competencies.