AI talent crunch threatens UK firms’ scale-up ambitions, warns new research

Summary

New research from Kore.ai, based on responses from 104 UK senior business and technology leaders, finds that a shortage of specialised AI talent is a major barrier to scaling AI projects. While enterprises are optimistic and nearly half expect AI budgets to rise, 36% say lack of AI expertise holds back implementation and only 20% feel fully equipped to scale. The report highlights priorities for hiring and skills development to ensure AI pilots turn into lasting, scaled solutions.

Source

Source: https://hrnews.co.uk/ai-talent-crunch-threatens-uk-firms-scale-up-ambitions-warns-new-research/

Key Points

36% of UK enterprise leaders cite a shortage of specialised AI expertise as their biggest barrier to implementing and growing AI solutions.
Only 20% of leaders say they have everything needed to scale AI effectively; most organisations are still maturing their approaches.
Top hiring responses: 34% plan to hire internal AI expertise and 32% plan to bring in external experts to accelerate projects.
Skills expected to be most important: human–AI interaction (33%), data analysis and visualisation (28%), and data management (27%).
Investment outlook is positive: 49% say AI budgets will increase significantly over the next three years.
Despite the skills gap, 86% report being satisfied with their ability to attract and retain AI talent, signalling uneven but present talent flows.
Kore.ai emphasises upskilling, partnerships and rethinking human–AI collaboration as strategies to unlock AI at scale.

Why should I read this?

Short version: if your organisation is trying to move AI from pilots to full-scale use, this matters. The research shows talent — not tech — is the real bottleneck. Read it to spot hiring and training priorities so you don’t waste budget on pilots that never scale.

Context and relevance

This report is timely for HR leaders, CTOs and scaling teams. With firms planning bigger AI budgets, the gap between ambition and in-house capability could determine who captures value from AI. The findings link to broader industry trends: rising investment in AI, growing demand for hybrid human–AI skills, and a shift towards combining internal upskilling with external hires and partnerships to build sustainable capability.

Report reference: Kore.ai, “Practical Insights from AI Leaders” (link in source).