No specialised personnel can be found for artificial intelligence

In the last five years, i.e. from 2019 to the present, the demand for professionals with AI skills has increased by 157 per cent. Yet, these 'skills' are very difficult to find: the lack of digital skills is in fact the main obstacle to the adoption of AI, identified by 55 per cent of the companies surveyed in the 4.Manager study, coordinated by the Observatory's scientific director, Giuseppe Torre. If we consider that, in 2023, only 46% of the Italian population possessed basic digital skills, a figure lower than the EU average of 56%, we can perhaps better understand the magnitude of the challenge that awaits us.

And so it is not surprising that slightly more than one in two companies, 53.6 per cent to be exact, have employed new Ia-related professionals in the past year, while 15.2 per cent are planning to do so in the near future. There is a lack of specialised personnel, particularly at managerial levels. Italian companies are looking for profiles that combine technical expertise, critical analysis skills and leadership. Among the most sought-after figures, the Ia Integration Specialist stands out, indicated by 18.6% of companies as the key figure to lead the implementation of artificial intelligence. This is followed by the Chief Data Officer (9.3%) and the Ia Strategy Director (8.9%), who emphasise the importance of strategic data management. Other roles include Data Science Manager (8.4%) and Chief Ia Officer (7.2%) for specialised guidance and complex management for the integration of emerging technologies.

Training, especially continuous training, is therefore crucial, given that 45.7% of executives and managers and 55.2% of other workers have not attended any specific course on artificial intelligence in the last year. Companies are aware of this and are increasingly putting in place in-house training initiatives or in collaboration with universities, Its Academy and training centres. Technical skills, such as data management and analysis, are essential to meet the challenges of digitalisation, but equally important are soft skills such as critical thinking, flexibility to change and the ability to manage the transformation process. Managers are also required to have strategic vision and soft skills.

A further boost will come from 4.Manager, which will provide the social partners with a Skill Intelligence system, based on the analysis of almost half a million job offers and data from Inps, Sviluppo Lavoro Italia and the European Esco system. This tool will enable companies to identify training needs and design targeted paths to deal with technological evolution.