With its White Paper on Artificial Intelligence (AI), the European Commission embraces the potential of AI in the European economy and labour market. They have the potential to serve applicants, clients and society by enabling better matches and a faster, more efficient process. These improvements will prove essential for the recovery of the European labour markets following the drastic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Still, the human touch will remain crucial in the recruitment industry. Leveraging technology in a smart way allows us to free-up time to focus more on those elements of our work that require human creativity and emotion – traits that technology cannot emulate. The future will be one combining smart tech and human touch.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a hotly debated topic, particularly in the context of its impact on the labour market and the workforce. These vital discussions are all too often based on assumptions and desktop projections rather than on concrete, objective data. New research from LinkedIn's Economic Graph uncovers novel, evidence-based insights into the state of AI talent development in the European Union (EU) labour market, and identifies emerging trends that can help inform policymaking in this area. The European Commission has clear ambitions and goals for AI, but right now Europe is lagging behind its peers in developing talent. The U.S. employs twice as many AI-skilled individuals than the EU, despite the American total labour force being just half the size.