AI talent concern grows, but investment continues

While most are expecting artificial intelligence usage to rapidly accelerate, that doesn’t mean there isn’t some level of concern. In fact, a recent Accenture survey found that more executives are concerned about AI than a year ago.

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The Accenture Pulse of Change Survey gathered insights from 2,800 C-suite executives across 18 countries and various industries, including 355 C-suite executives responsible for manufacturing and supply chain operations. With a margin of error of ±1.9%, the survey found that 35% of respondents expressed concern about AI, an increase of 12 percentage points from a year ago.

The reasons for the increase are mixed, even as most executives noted their increased use of AI. One concern, in particular, revolves around current and future talent.

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“The shift to AI and generative AI isn’t just about tech, it’s about people. As companies prep for 2025, building a future-ready workforce is key. Hiring AI talent matters, but upskilling current teams is just as important to build trust in these systems. Many companies are launching leadership programs, especially since only 41% feel their board has the tech know-how for future decisions,” explained Inge Oosterhuis, global talent and organization lead for digital engineering, manufacturing and supply chain at Accenture. “Nearly 90% of executives say they need big changes or a complete overhaul of their reskilling strategy, as most still rely on outdated training. Cybersecurity, for example, is a critical area where skills like threat analysis and risk assessment are essential to drive digital innovation responsibly.”

Organizations are working to overcome these hurdles, though. Almost three-quarters (72%) of executives said their organization will put more effort into hiring personnel with generative AI experience or skills in 2025. In November 2023, 61% said half or more of the workforce in their organization had been trained on using generative AI, but upskilling has slowed, with just 63% in the latest survey saying training has taken place.

Even at the slower pace, 75% of executives said they are confident or extremely confident in their training and upskilling programs.

Cybersecurity concerns

In addition to talent, cybersecurity concerns are also popping up as AI usage increases. Twelve percent of executives said their biggest concern is the increased risk from cyberattacks and data breaches as their organizations struggle with critical cybersecurity skill gaps. When asked which skills are missing most, executives cited threat analysis (25%), risk assessment (23%) and incident response (17%) as the top areas in need of improvement.

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As more systems are connected, data breaches have increased. Seongkyoon Jeong, an assistant professor at the Haslam College of Business and digital supply chain researcher, wrote in a Supply Chain Management Review article earlier this year about the increasing cybersecurity threat.

“Suppliers frequently handle sensitive data, such as personal identification details or proprietary business information, on behalf of their clients. When such data is compromised, the supplier’s clients—along with their customers—can suffer significant consequences,” he wrote, adding that “disruptions to a supplier’s operations due to a cyberattack can bring a company’s entire supply chain to a grinding halt.”

AI investment, usage increases

Even as concerns grow, it is not slowing the adoption of AI, the Accenture survey found. Thirteen percent of respondents said they have seen their market share increase by more than 10% since integrating AI into their operations, and 73% said their market share had increased between 1% and 10% due to Generative AI adoption.

Fifty-three percent of organizations plan to significantly increase their investment in AI in 2025, and 42% plan moderate additional investments, the survey found. More than half (52%) aim to allocate more funds toward generative AI compared to traditional AI, while 33% aim to allocate funds equally between the two. 

“Companies are aiming to make manufacturing and supply chain operations more autonomous, so they can react faster to changing demands and disruptions. Digital twins, AI and generative AI are top of mind for industry executives because these technologies are critical enablers of this ambition,” said Pascal Brosset, global production and operations lead at Accenture.

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