90% leaders want to hire staff equipped with AI know-how: Microsoft report

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to advance in various industries, concerns have arisen regarding its potential to replace human jobs, leading to a sense of chaos. Companies like Google, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Microsoft are racing to introduce AI-powered technologies. This new wave of AI has sparked discussions about the types of jobs that AI is likely to assume. Amidst this transformative shift in productivity, Microsoft has released a report shedding light on the impact of AI and how employees are reacting to it.

According to Microsoft’s comprehensive Work Trend Index Report 2023, AI is poised to redefine the way organisations operate, greatly enhancing productivity for all. The report reveals that an impressive 83 percent of Indian employees are open to leveraging AI to delegate as much work as possible, in order to alleviate their workload.

To compile this report, Microsoft surveyed 31,000 individuals from various industries across 31 countries. The research drew insights from data collected from emails, meetings, and chats within Microsoft 365, as well as labour trends observed on LinkedIn.

Among leaders, 90 per cent said that the employees they will hire will need new skills to be prepared for the AI boom. As many as 78 per cent of workers said that they did not possess the right skills to get their work done. This calls for the need for employees to develop an aptitude for AI.