- A fifth of workers lack creative/digital skills for the AI-shaped future
- Employers and employees are responsible for upskilling, Adobe says
- Adobe wants to educate 30 million people by 2030
Almost two in three (65%) UK jobseekers believe AI skills are now essential to landing their dream role, yet few potential employees have the opportunity to gain these skills, putting them at risk of being left behind, new Adobe research has claimed.
It found an alarming one in five (19%) workers now believe they lack the creative and digital skills they need for an AI-shaped future, but Adobe’s research goes a step further to highlight disproportionate AI readiness among the workforce.
The company found that non-job seekers are twice as likely to feel unprepared for future jobs, potentially with their relative job security preventing them from feeling the need to constantly upskill.
To that tune, a third of hiring managers now report a significant gap in AI and automation skills, but Adobe has big plans to ramp up its training efforts to close that gap.
Adobe VP highlights the role of AI in the creative field
By the end of 2025, the company will have already trained a million people as part of its Digital Academy program, but by 2030 it hopes to have reached 30 million across platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn and Coursera.
talking with TechRadar ProInternational Marketing VP Simon Morris explained that attendees would receive micro-credentials and LinkedIn badges to help validate their learning, as well as access to Behance Pro for job opportunities in Adobe’s fields.
Morris also confirmed that these courses would be free for anyone with no background requirements.
“We’re pretty confident that people recognize that AI will give them that competitive edge,” he told us.
When questioned about who is responsible for the upskilling of teams, Morris explained that it is a joint effort. Employers should offer training and encourage continuous development (he cited Adobe’s regular open Q&A sessions for staff), but employees also need to exhibit a growth mindset to take advantage of such opportunities.
Discussing AI’s impact on the workforce, Morris also detailed his vision for AI, which he defined as ‘augmented intelligence’ – in other words, a tool to augment human creativity, not replace it.
“We really believe in transparency and protecting creator rights,” he added.
With artificial intelligence, Adobe has observed a lowering of the entry barrier for creative fields, but also a raising of the ceiling. That is, companies can produce more, and so they expect more from creatives.
Looking ahead, the need for an AI-ready workforce is clear – 45% of UK hiring managers agree that AI and automation skills are the most in-demand skills in new hires.
In addition to tapping into these opportunities, Adobe’s Future Skills research reveals a growth in the importance of building a personal brand, suggesting that a brand could be the CV of the future.
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