{"id":3563,"date":"2026-04-02T06:50:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/02\/why-digital-skills-will-define-the-value-of-ai\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T20:13:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T03:13:43","slug":"why-digital-skills-will-define-the-value-of-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/02\/why-digital-skills-will-define-the-value-of-ai\/","title":{"rendered":"Why digital skills will define the value of AI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-f6cd142a-5438-4133-a4f5-b96986d2b6d1\">Discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) often focus on concerns about job losses and machines taking over jobs that are usually done by humans.<\/p>\n<p>But there is an equally important and urgent challenge that needs to be urgently addressed among the workforce: the persistent shortage of digital skills.<\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-f6cd142a-5438-4133-a4f5-b96986d2b6d1-2\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">The demand for workers with knowledge of AI tools, data and advanced technology is growing rapidly, but research shows that only a minority of managers feel confident that they have access to the skills needed to keep their business competitive.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">The article continues below <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"inline-block w-2.5 h-2.5 ml-2\" fill=\"currentColor\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMidYMid meet\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><path d=\"M1000 100L500 900 0 100h1000z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold&#10;        \"><\/p>\n<p>            You might like it<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<div id=\"slice-container-person-iKAn5Rscx7Xte5LPhyztMc-Vo0gFYoMLCTUmFzniy0TZi1HykzbJF4d\" class=\"slice-container person-wrapper person-iKAn5Rscx7Xte5LPhyztMc-Vo0gFYoMLCTUmFzniy0TZi1HykzbJF4d slice-container-person\">\n<div class=\"person person--separator\">\n<div class=\"person__heading\">\n<div class=\"person__name-socials\"><span class=\"person__name\">Rohit Gupta<\/span><\/p>\n<nav class=\"button-social-group person__social-buttons\" aria-labelledby=\"button-social-group- person__social-buttons\">\n<p>Navigating Social Links<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"button-social__icon button-social__icon-website\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-website\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><path d=\"M1000 500A501 501 0 0 0 503 0h-6A501 501 0 0 0 0 500c0 275 223 499 498 500h4a501 501 0 0 0 498-500zM529 936V765h133c-31 90-79 154-133 171zM337 765h134v171c-54-17-101-81-134-171zM61 539h176a899 899 0 0 0 22 167H110a439 439 0 0 1-49-166zM471 64v191H331c31-101 82-173 140-191zm199 191H529V64c58 18 109 90 140 191zm270 226H763c-1-59-7-115-18-167h155a438 438 0 0 1 40 167zm-235 0H529V314h156a857 857 0 0 1 19 167zM471 314v167H296a859 859 0 0 1 19-167h156zM237 481H60a438 438 0 0 1 41-167h154a921 921 0 0 0-18 167zm59 58h175v167H320a837 837 0 0 1-24-166zm233 167V539h175a831 831 0 0 1-24 167H529zm234-166h176a436 436 0 0 1-49 166H741a893 893 0 0 0 22-166zm104-285H731c-20-68-47-126-81-169a443 443 0 0 1 217 169zM350 86c-33 43-61 101-81 169H133A443 443 0 0 1 350 86zM148 765h127c20 59 45 110 75 150a442 442 0 0 1-202-150zm502 150c30-39 56-91 75-150h127a442 442 0 0 1-202 150z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"person__role\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"person__bio\">\n<p>K&#038;I Managing Director at Cognizant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-31d007b4-45ec-46c9-bd23-a9b73a8952d7\">This problem is already affecting businesses today, and the labor market has responded accordingly, with roles requiring AI and data skills commanding a premium due to the shortage of these skills.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"ai-is-reshaping-work-itself-3\">AI is reshaping work itself<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-6a580dea-d6bb-497b-919b-fefa6e12a373\">AI is changing the way work is organized. The boundaries of traditional departments are becoming more and more rigid. AI tools can help identify and recruit the right workers for a specific job, regardless of where that technology resides legally.<\/p>\n<p>By absorbing much of the burden of organization and management, AI allows people to focus more on results than processing. This is no small change. Recent research suggests that 93% of jobs could be affected by AI in some way, which helps explain why shifts in the way you are organized are occurring so quickly.<\/p>\n<p>As this change occurs there is a common misconception that AI is replacing smaller roles. In fact, as a measure of AI tools, they are creating new opportunities for early career professionals to participate. Generative AI lowers technical barriers, allowing young talent to engage with AI and other advanced technologies.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-iKAn5Rscx7Xte5LPhyztMc\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-iKAn5Rscx7Xte5LPhyztMc slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Sign up for the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, ideas, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The skills required are now more and more flexible, collective thinking and problem solving, rather than deep knowledge of legacy technologies. These roles allow juniors to contribute to high-level work up front, while gaining practical experience, building judgment, and developing resilience, all of which strengthen organizational capacity.<\/p>\n<p>This does not eliminate the importance of technology. Instead, it changes the way it is used. Experienced professionals can focus on high-value work, while those early in their careers can take on responsibility quickly. It&#8217;s not a universal solution, but in situations where speed and creativity are important, this lean, networked model represents a real change in the way organizations work.<\/p>\n<p>Access to these opportunities, however, remains unequal. Smaller firms and more traditional sectors risk falling behind, while organizations with better resources move forward. Collaboration and efforts between industry, education providers and the public sector are beginning to address these inequalities, but progress is uneven. If left unchecked, the result will be a deep digital divide.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold&#10;        \"><\/p>\n<p>            What you can read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<h2 id=\"the-accelerating-digital-skills-gap-3\">An accelerating digital skills gap <\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-1add9693-57be-4b0b-ab32-81ba6cd99238\">Formal education and business training have not kept pace with the rapid pace of technology change. These systems usually operate on multi-year or fixed annual cycles, but digital technology is evolving very quickly.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, skills can become obsolete before they can be properly applied in the workplace, while job descriptions often lag behind the realities of modern work. This means that many organizations invest heavily in new technologies but lack the manpower required to implement them effectively. Unsurprisingly, the expected returns on these investments often fail to materialize.<\/p>\n<p>The results are important. Without deliberate intervention, the skills gap will continue to widen and reinforce existing inequalities. In the UK alone, the digital talent shortage could cost the economy \u00a327.6 billion and put 380,000 jobs at risk by 2030.<\/p>\n<p>Basic digital skills are associated with higher salaries, while broader skill portfolios offer even greater benefits. In the US, studies show that mastering one digital skill can increase an employee&#8217;s salary by 23%, while three or more skills can increase wages by nearly 45%.<\/p>\n<p>Digital skills have become a key factor in job security and long-term financial stability, reinforcing the need for accessible and inclusive skills development opportunities.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"practical-approaches-to-developing-digital-skills-3\">Practical ways to develop digital skills<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-4473fde6-fcfd-48c6-893f-6f390de0aa4b\">Despite this, skill development is still considered an individual responsibility. Employees are expected to retrain themselves, often outside of working hours and at their own expense. This approach is becoming increasingly untenable. Digital skills are now central to the way organizations work, and the responsibility for developing them cannot rest with one person alone.<\/p>\n<p>Organizations must also rethink how learning works. Developmental studies are often implemented as check-box style processes with certificates to be collected. In fact, people learn most effectively by doing. Therefore, employees should be given the opportunity to participate in deep, real-life experiences.<\/p>\n<p>Formal training is beneficial, but alone rarely equips people with the confidence or judgment needed for real-world application. Power develops through practice, using real tools, dealing with real problems and building confidence over time.<\/p>\n<p>Pilots, simulations or guided projects can help people develop judgment and adaptability skills as well as technical knowledge. When organizations prioritize this kind of hands-on exposure, skills are spread quickly and evenly, rather than remaining concentrated in specialist groups. Where they don&#8217;t, the gap widens &#8211; especially in small businesses and sectors with little digital access &#8211; increasing the risk of a permanent digital divide.<\/p>\n<p>Talent investment and training also improve retention. Employees are more likely to stay with organizations that demonstrate a commitment to their growth and development.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-choice-ahead-3\">Future choice<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-06e784d5-28b1-4811-a835-35263a5d6d24\">The question for organizations is not whether to embrace AI, but how to invest in it. Technology alone cannot deliver lasting value without the skills and confidence to use it effectively. Investments in systems must be matched by investments in digital capabilities across the workforce.<\/p>\n<p>AI is already embedded in the economy, but its impact will depend on whether organizations prioritize effective skills development or allow gaps to widen further.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-90731373-ab3b-47c2-a4ef-3c32d78fc620\"><em\/><em>See our list of the best online courses and online class sites<\/em><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) often focus on concerns about job losses and machines taking over jobs that are usually done by humans. But there is an equally important and urgent challenge that needs to be urgently addressed among the workforce: the persistent shortage of digital skills. The demand for workers with knowledge of AI [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3563","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-smart-home-gadgets"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3563"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3565,"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3563\/revisions\/3565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wiki-living.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}