Advanced Missing Middle Skills

This research by Accenture reveals that a stark division of labour between human and machine is unlikely. Instead, the space between or 'the missing middle' is where intelligent technology and human ingenuity will come together to create new forms of value. Human-machine collaboration will reconfigure most of the work we do, making uniquely human skills more important than ever.

Key points include:

• Almost half of the executives surveyed say the growing skills gap is one of the top three trends affecting their workforce strategy
• Many leaders find it challenging to encourage employees to make time for learning new skills, believing only a quarter of their workforce is prepared to work with AI and machines
• More than 60 percent of workers have a positive view about the impact of intelligent technologies on their work with over two-thirds recognising the importance of developing their own skills to work with intelligent machines
• Many workers feel their companies should do more to help them. They cite lack of time (48 percent), lack of sponsorship (37 percent) and lack of resources (36 percent) as the biggest barriers to developing new skills