PSCI Flags Widening Gap Between AI Adoption and Qualified AI Hires
The IT staffing firm, a three-time Philadelphia 100 honoree, said employers cannot find enough AI professionals with hands-on experience.
PSCI, an IT staffing and consulting firm headquartered at 2 Righter Pkwy 110, Wilmington, DE 19803, said employers are struggling to find and hire qualified artificial intelligence professionals, with demand for AI skills running ahead of the supply of candidates who have applied technical and operational experience.
The firm, which has been named to the Philadelphia 100 list of fastest-growing privately held regional companies for three consecutive years, said the squeeze is showing up across healthcare, financial services, logistics and manufacturing. Many employers told PSCI they have trouble telling the difference between theoretical knowledge and hands-on project work when they review candidates. Tools, frameworks and compliance expectations are shifting quickly, PSCI said, which makes it hard to settle on consistent job descriptions.
"Organizations are encountering a gap between the pace of AI adoption and the availability of professionals with the appropriate technical and operational experience," said Sean O'Neill, President and CEO of PSCI.
Employers are increasingly looking for people who can work across data science, software engineering and business operations, a shift toward interdisciplinary roles tied to responsible AI deployment and long-term system upkeep, according to the firm.
PSCI also said the shortage is changing how companies plan further out. Some are putting money into internal training, mentorship programs and phased project staffing so they depend less on a thin external hiring pool, an approach meant to cover immediate project needs while building skills over time as AI work moves from pilots into daily operations.
Requirements tied to data privacy, model transparency and regulatory compliance are narrowing candidate pools further and stretching out the time it takes to fill specialized jobs, PSCI said, particularly at regulated employers that handle sensitive data.
Founded in 1993, PSCI provides IT staffing and consulting support for technology work including automation and machine learning projects. The firm said organizations looking for help with AI workforce planning and technology staffing can contact it directly.