The solution to the AI skills gap is both global and local (www.techradar.com)

AI’s rapid rise has created a global talent crunch: roughly 500,000 open AI-engineer roles, 72% of decision-makers plan AI investments in 2025, and reports show AI moved to the top scarce-skill spot in a year. Analysts warn the gap won’t close quickly—Gartner estimates 80% of existing software engineers must upskill in AI by 2027—while the World Economic Forum projects 170 million new AI-era jobs versus 92 million losses, highlighting a supply-side mismatch as demand explodes. The result is fierce competition, high pay, and many companies under-resourced to deliver AI initiatives. The practical response is both global and local. Globally, remote hiring is natural—programming is effectively monolingual (English-based tools and docs) and more than 80% of developers work remotely some or all of the time—unlocking diverse, around-the-clock talent and wage flexibility. Locally, retention hinges on inclusion: deliberately building culture, soliciting input, and preventing remote employees from feeling invisible. Tech also helps—near real-time two-way translation tools can make meetings and collaboration genuinely bilingual. For AI teams, the implication is clear: scale hiring with remote talent and invest equally in upskilling, inclusive management practices, and collaboration tech; compensation alone won’t win the war for AI skills.