Global Rankings of Countries' Skilled Workforce Talent Competitiveness Unveiled in 2020
The Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2020, a joint effort by INSEAD, Google, and the our group, has revealed some critical findings about AI talent, digital skills gaps, and re-skilling efforts.
Switzerland leads the world in talent competitiveness, followed closely by the United States and Singapore, according to the report. New York, a top 10 city across four of the five categories, takes the lead among cities.
The report emphasizes that AI talent is scarce and unevenly distributed, intensifying competition among countries to attract and retain highly skilled professionals. More than half of the population in developing countries lacks basic digital skills, which hinders their ability to participate fully in the AI-driven economy. This disparity in digital literacy exacerbates global inequality in talent competitiveness.
The GTCI underscores the necessity for countries to invest in vocational and technical skills development alongside global knowledge skills to meet AI challenges. Effective re-skilling and continuous learning are vital to adapt workforce capabilities to the evolving technological landscape.
The report found a strong correlation between a country’s GDP per capita and its talent competitiveness, including in AI proficiency. Wealthier nations dominate the top ranks of the GTCI and exhibit stronger AI talent pools and digital readiness. European countries continue to lead talent competitiveness rankings, with Switzerland and the United States occupying the top positions.
The success of AI-based technologies varies from one city to another. Cities continue to act as test labs for AI-based technologies, such as facial recognition, tele-surveillance, and autonomous vehicles. However, the right talent is required not only to carry out new responsibilities and ways of working but also to capture value from this transformative technology.
The GTCI 2020 includes 70 variables and provides a tool for governments, cities, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations to help design their talent strategies. Higher income countries have the infrastructure to invest in lifelong learning, re-/upskilling, and attracting and retaining global talent.
The GTCI covers 132 countries and 155 cities, across all groups of income and levels of development. The report aims to explore how the development of AI is changing the nature of work and forcing a re-evaluation of workplace practices, corporate structures, and innovation ecosystems.
Yemen remains at the bottom of the index, ranked 132nd. Policies and practices that foster talent competitiveness in developed nations are less susceptible to political and socioeconomic instability. Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, and Finland complete the top seven countries in the index.
In summary, the GTCI 2020 reveals that AI talent is both scarce and unevenly spread globally, with significant digital skills deficiencies common especially in developing countries. The report calls for intensified efforts in re-skilling and vocational education to bridge these gaps and maintain competitiveness in the age of AI.
- The findings of the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2020 suggest the importance of re-skilling and learning in response to the evolving technological landscape, particularly in adapting workforce capabilities to the future of work driven by AI and technology.
- The GTCI report highlights the necessity for countries, especially developing ones, to prioritize education and self-development, focusing on upskilling and reskilling to address the deficiency in basic digital skills and to participate effectively in the AI-driven economy.
- Personal growth and career development, informed by lifelong learning and skills training, are critical in the current era of AI and technology, as they help individuals adapt to the changing nature of work and capture value from the transformative technology.
- Cities are also essential in the development and implementation of AI-based technologies, but they require a skilled workforce to carry out new responsibilities and ways of working, as well as to capture value from this technology.
- The GTCI serves as a valuable tool for governments, cities, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations worldwide, providing insights into the importance of education, re-skilling, and attracting global talent, all of which are crucial to maintaining competitiveness in the future of work.
