The AI Organization

Chapter 7. The Culture of Talent: Upskilling Your Organization

AI is a technology wave unlike any other we have experienced in the enterprise. The techniques used are radically different from the ones used in traditional software development. The business implications are also more profound than with any other wave we have seen in the past, with the potential to transform entire industries and completely redefine the processes in an organization. Many speak of AI as a fourth industrial revolution.

Such a big change in technology and business requires entirely new skills that, for the most part, organizations don’t currently have. When asked by Gartner Research about the top blockers with regard to artificial intelligence for their organizations, CIOs identified “Lack of necessary staff skills” as the most important barrier, at a considerable distance from the next.

To contribute to the perfect storm, the AI revolution has happened so fast that new generations are not flooding out the gates of schools and training institutions—technical or business—with the required skills. This is leading to a skills shortage in the market that is severely impacting organizations.

The best way to address this crisis is by developing a reskilling strategy. This strategy should have a broad scope—the AI transformation will not be constrained to just some roles in your organization. Indeed, if you want to truly make the transition to an AI organization, every single function and level should be part ...