There could be a shortage of 700,000 AI workers by 2027, according to new report from Validated Insight
A new report from marketing agency Validated Insights suggests that by 2027 there could be a shortage of nearly 700,000 AI workers as employment of AI/Machine Learning engineers is expected to triple between 2024 and 2027.
The projected shortage is driven by growing demand from employers. Between 2012 and 2024, the volume of job postings calling for AI skills increased by nearly seven times.
While 1.7 percent of job listings in 2024 called for AI skills, by June 2025 this had already increased to 2.8 percent.
Currently, around 4 percent of the white-collar workforce is training in AI, while 80 percent have expressed an interest in doing so - that suggests around 46.9 million workers are currently planning to upskill in AI within the next six months.
The report, titled Navigating the AI Education Landscape, also notes that enrolment in AI programs at colleges and universities grew by 45 percent between 2018 and 2023.
“Based on the data, there was sizable existing interest and demand for professional and workplace education and training in AI and AI-related areas, but we probably haven’t seen anything yet,” said Brady Colby, Head of Market Research at Validated Insights.
“According to survey data and hiring trends, this market, the AI education and training market, is positioned for incredible, maybe explosive, growth.”
The report also found that while demand for AI training is very high, workplace hiring of AI skills is currently very uneven, with nearly half of all job postings for AI experts being listed in California, New York, Texas or Washington.
