It may be a boom time for AI, but ‘soft skills’ are still in bigger demand than digital or AI-specific expertise, according to new research.
Analysis from Cornerstone OnDemand, which looked at 40TB worth of job market data across 200 countries, including job postings, resumes, and more.
The report found there was more demand for human or soft skills than digital skills, outstripping demand for technical skills by double globally and triple in Europe.
That's despite AI and machine learning job postings leaping by 65% globally, and generative AI jobs, in particular, up by 411% since 2019.
Bledi Taska, head of Analytics at SkyHive by Cornerstone, said that while the report highlights an“exponential rise” in demand for generative AI skills, history suggests that these trends will stabilize and enterprises begin going back to basics once a technology is embedded within everyday operations.
Soft skills or AI talent?
The importance of people skills is no surprise to businesses working in tech — not least because AI technologies are changing so quickly, according to Gareth Hoyle, Founder and Managing Director of Marketing Signals.
"Candidates with an understanding of digital tools and AI may be beneficial, but not completely essential as they can be learnt on the job," he said.
"Any employees who are already trained to use AI and other digital tools will be expected to keep their skills up to date as new technologies are introduced, therefore it wouldn’t be difficult for new team members to get trained up alongside them."
Steve Salvin, founder and CEO of AI data insights specialists Aiimi, said strong tech skills are of course necessary — but it's not the only thing that matters, especially when AI is evolving so quickly.
"For example, courses taken at university will quickly lose relevance unless workers continue to refresh their skills, and apply what they've learnt about AI to real-world scenarios," he told ITPro.
"Plus, communication, innovation, and delivery of tech projects is strongest when workers' technical skills are complemented by softer skills."
Indeed, that highlights the importance of developing a training program to keep employees' skills up to date, which is exactly what Ten10 did after the technology consultancy struggled to find suitable candidates that had the tech skills alongside the necessary personal capabilities such as collaboration and communication.
"By focusing on hiring individuals with a blend of technical and soft skills, we aimed to create a workforce capable of effectively navigating the complexities of the business landscape," said Ash Gawthorp, Chief Academy Officer at Ten10.
"Through targeted training initiatives, we provided our employees with the necessary technical skills to complement their existing strengths. This approach not only addressed our immediate staffing needs but also created a culture of continuous learning and development within our organization."
Adam Levine, business coach at InnerXLab, added that businesses need both people skills and digital expertise — and that AI could be the key to bringing them together.
"The real magic emerges when people skills harmonize with digital capabilities. Innovation thrives through this synergy—human creativity enhanced by AI's predictive prowess," he said.
UK market
Cornerstone revealed that a fifth of job postings in the UK are offering remote or flexible work, highlighting the major shift that has taken place in the workplace, despite recent pushes from some companies to return to the office.
Globally, the study said, jobs for remote workers have increased by 39%. Hoyle noted that flexible working was now a skill he sought.
"I also look for people who can work successfully and efficiently whilst working from home or in a hybrid environment, something that is particularly important to my business," he said.
The UK also posted a 10% increase in the share of AI and machine learning postings, ranking sixth. London has the highest number of jobs looking for generative AI skills, but trails behind several US cities — unsurprisingly, that includes San Francisco.
