TLDR : According to the latest Forrester report, European employees lack AI skills, hindering the continent's competitiveness compared to their American counterparts. The report emphasizes that Europe must improve AI training, establish ethical AI use, and prepare employees to trust AI systems to avoid losing ground in the AI race.
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The latest report from Forrester, “European Employees Are Falling Behind US Workers On AI Skills”, highlights a growing gap between the United States and Europe in their ability to integrate AI into their economic dynamics. While AI is emerging as a major lever for productivity and innovation, the lack of trust and AI skills among European employees hampers the competitiveness of European companies.
The AI Quotient: A New Maturity Barometer
The core of the report is based on a new indicator: the AI Quotient (AIQ). This evaluates the ability of individuals and organizations to adapt, collaborate, and leverage AI to generate business results. Far from being a simple technical index, it is a strategic barometer that measures both employee confidence and the coherence of training, speed of adoption, and ability to integrate AI into business processes.
However, in this area, Europe clearly lags behind. While the United States is intensifying its investments (€62.5 billion in 2023 compared to €9 billion in the EU), the European AIQ suffers from several weaknesses: still uneven training, less attractive salaries (notably in France where the wage rate is 37% compared to the United States), and less employee confidence in AI tools.
Training Still Too Disparate
The training deficit remains a structural weakness: only 52% of European companies offer coherent AI training, compared to 62% on the American side. This delay fosters a climate of uncertainty: although European employees are as motivated as their American counterparts to develop their AI skills, they remain less confident in its use (48% compared to 59% in the US). Beyond technical skills, it is especially the cognitive familiarity with AI that is lacking, notably the mastery of prompt engineering and the understanding of ethical issues.
The report highlights that both continents share the same priority: using generative AI to improve productivity. Yet again, the figures reveal a gap: 36% of American companies have already deployed GenAI solutions, compared to 32% in Europe, with 43% considering the adoption of new technologies as an absolute priority compared to 37% in France.
The report also highlights a perception gap on AI training between business and technology decision-makers and other employees. It suggests several improvement paths for European companies, including the implementation of regular training to keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI technologies.
According to lead analyst Indranil Bandyopadhyay:
"Europe's lag in AI adoption, development, and investment is a major challenge in an increasingly AI-driven economy. Improving employees' AIQ is no longer optional - it is essential to retain talent, boost productivity, and foster innovation. European leaders must focus on structured AI training programs, ethical AI use, and prepare employees to trust and collaborate with AI systems. Failing to take these steps, Europe risks falling behind in the AI race, along with the productivity and innovation it brings."
To better understand
What is 'prompt engineering' and why is it important in the context of AI?
'Prompt engineering' is a technique where specific instructions or 'prompts' are crafted to guide an AI model to yield desired outcomes. It is crucial in the AI context because it determines the effectiveness and accuracy of AI-generated responses, thus impacting the adoption and effective use of these technologies.
What are the main regulatory challenges related to AI integration in Europe?
Regulatory challenges in Europe include data protection, privacy, and AI ethics. The European Union aims to establish strict rules to ensure responsible and fair use of AI, which can sometimes hinder rapid innovation.