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ManpowerGroup
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ManpowerGroup

Global staffing firm; survey found 1.6m AI jobs open, only 518k qualified candidates.

ManpowerGroup, the global staffing firm, built its 2026 profile on a March survey of 39,000 employers across 41 countries finding 1.6 million open AI roles against only 518,000 qualified candidates.

Last refreshed: 17 July 2026

Key Question

1.6 million AI jobs open and nobody to fill them: how is AI killing jobs and creating a shortage at once?

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Background

ManpowerGroup is one of the world's largest staffing firms, operating in more than 75 countries with annual revenue exceeding $18 billion. Founded in 1948 in Milwaukee, it publishes quarterly employment outlook surveys that central banks and finance ministries use as leading indicators of labour market direction.

Its survey of 39,000 employers across 41 countries produced one of the most cited statistics in the 2026 AI skills debate: 1.6 million open AI positions worldwide against only 518,000 qualified candidates, a 3.2-to-1 demand-to-supply ratio, with 72% of employers reporting difficulty filling AI-related roles. That finding sits alongside IDC's projection that over 90% of enterprises will face critical AI skills gaps by 2026, at an estimated economic cost of $5.5 trillion.

Together, ManpowerGroup's demand data and IDC's cost projection frame a labour market splitting in two: a surplus of workers in traditional roles alongside a severe, persistent shortage in AI-adjacent ones, a divide ManpowerGroup's quarterly surveys are positioned to keep tracking as it evolves.

Common Questions
How many AI jobs are unfilled globally?
ManpowerGroup's survey of 39,000 employers found 1.6 million open AI positions with only 518,000 qualified candidates, a 3.2-to-1 demand-to-supply ratio.Source: ManpowerGroup
What is ManpowerGroup?
One of the world's largest staffing firms, operating in 75+ countries with revenue exceeding $18 billion. Founded in 1948 in Milwaukee.
Is there a shortage of AI workers?
72% of employers report difficulty filling AI-related roles. IDC projects over 90% of enterprises will face critical AI skills shortages by 2026, at a cost of $5.5 trillion.Source: ManpowerGroup / IDC
AI job market paradox layoffs and shortages?
Companies are cutting traditional roles while unable to fill AI positions. ManpowerGroup found a 3.2:1 demand-to-supply ratio for AI jobs, even as overall unemployment rose to 4.4%.Source: ManpowerGroup