Bridging the AI skills gap: Empowering your workforce for the age of gen AI

As the VP of Google Cloud Consulting, my job is to help you — our customers — navigate the transformative potential of AI for your business.

Generative AI, a subset of AI focused on creating new content, has moved rapidly from a technological novelty to a powerful tool for businesses. From revolutionizing customer service with AI-powered chatbots to accelerating time to market by automating content creation, gen AI is poised to reshape industries and redefine business models.

However, realizing these benefits requires a workforce equipped with the right skills. As much as I hear about the incredible impact AI is already having, I also hear daily about the skills gap that’s getting in the way of rapid adoption and innovation. More than 62% of organizations say they don’t have the expertise they need to unlock AI’s full potential. There’s never been a greater need for change management as we lead our employees through this journey.

Understanding the AI skills gap

There's growing concern among executives and business leaders about the lack of AI expertise within their organizations. This skills gap is attributed to several factors, including:

1. The rapid pace of AI innovation: Gen AI is evolving at an unprecedented speed. This pace of change can create paralysis. It’s difficult to know where to start. New models, tools, and techniques are emerging constantly — creating a moving target for skills development and leaving many professionals feeling like they're playing perpetual catch-up.
2. The interdisciplinary nature of AI: Effectively leveraging gen AI requires a blend of skills across disciplines, including computer science, data science, and domain-specific expertise. Finding individuals who possess this unique combination of knowledge can be difficult.
3. The shift from theoretical knowledge to practical application: While there are numerous resources available for learning the theoretical foundations of gen AI, there's a significant gap when it comes to acquiring the practical skills needed to apply these models in real-world business settings. Many training programs focus on conceptual understanding rather than hands-on experience, leaving professionals ill-equipped to tackle the challenges of implementing and managing gen AI solutions.

Not just another “intro to AI”

So, enough with the theory. Let’s get into practice. Today, our team of experts is releasing four new learning paths that will help you empower your workforce for the age of gen AI and close your organization’s skills gap.

You’ll be able to equip your technical teams with the AI skills they need to:

• Build and modernize applications with generative AI
• Integrate generative AI into your data workflow
• Deploy and manage generative AI models
• Generate content for applications with generative AI

It can feel like everyone under the sun is offering an “intro to AI” course. This is not that. These four new learning paths focus on real-world use cases that build practical experience and knowledge your team actually needs for their everyday assignments. Take a look at them. Make sure your learning admins and cloud teams know about them.

Instructor-led learning from Google, your partner on AI

Google has been at the forefront of AI innovation for over a decade. There’s no better way to inspire your teams and meet the urgent need for upskilling than by integrating instructor-led training into your learning program. Almost eight in 10 learners prefer some kind of instructor-led training vs. on-demand training alone.

So, here’s my advice. Start with the learning paths I’ve listed above and share them with your teams. When you’re ready to go to the next level in gen AI learning, consider including an instructor-led component to address your organization’s most pressing challenges. Your workforce will thank you.

Learn more about our instructor led training and ask your Google representative about taking your learning to the next level or contact my team with this form.