Eighty-six percent of those who make or influence hiring decisions say it’s challenging to fill open roles, while 90% of employees claim more perks related to upskilling would encourage them to stay with their current employer, according to new report from 24 Seven, one of the nation’s largest privately held marketing, creative and tech recruiting firms.

These are just some of the findings featured in 24 Seven’s new AI, Upskilling, and Staff Augmentation report, which uncovers specific hiring, staffing and training challenges companies face as AI advancements and other machine learning tools gain traction.

24 Seven surveyed more than 2,100 professionals across the US, Canada and the UK in the Marketing, Creative, Technology, Beauty, Fashion, and Retail sectors and identified these key findings:

• 84% of respondents say their organization is using AI-powered tools, while at the same time, more than half (55%) believe employees in their organization only have basic, very limited or no understanding of AI
• 70% of employees expect an increase in hiring for AI-specific roles in their organizations in the next two years
• 61% of respondents say their organization has hired external consultants or freelancers with specialized AI skills
• 59% of respondents believe that bringing in freelancers or consultants with specialized tech skills will help bridge the AI knowledge gap within companies

“The insights from 24 Seven’s latest report underscore the need for employers to embrace a flexible, multipronged approach to stay competitive amidst accelerated tech advancement and widespread AI integration,” said Anthony Donnarumma, CEO of 24 Seven. “Leaders must recognize the importance of enhancing the skills of their current employees while also leveraging highly adept external talent. Now is a crucial time for organizations to zero in on the AI competencies essential for their success, and to strategize effectively on whether to develop these skills internally, recruit new talent, or seek specialized expertise to augment their teams and accelerate momentum.”