A striking disconnect has emerged in how organizations approach AI talent: while HR leaders express strong faith in their employees’ ability to learn AI skills, many companies are still looking outside to fill AI roles. This tension—what can be called the AI reskilling confidence vs. external hiring gap—is the central finding of a new report from Careerminds, a global workforce solutions provider.
A Confidence Gap in Practice
The research, detailed in a white paper titled The AI Redeployment Gap: What Companies Lose by Hiring over Reskilling, shows that 92% of HR professionals and 88% of people managers believe their current employees could be reskilled for AI-related positions. Yet when it comes to filling those roles, 51% of HR professionals and 47% of managers say their organizations are hiring externally, compared with just 42% in each group who report redeploying existing staff.
The survey, conducted with Censuswide, polled 595 US HR professionals and 547 US people managers between May 15 and May 26, 2026. All respondents were aged 25–65 and worked at organizations with 500 to 10,000 or more employees.
Mark Saddic, senior partner at Careerminds, noted in a press release that companies are investing in AI while potentially overlooking their existing workforce. He emphasized that while organizations largely believe employees can adapt to AI-driven change, that confidence isn’t consistently translating into opportunities. Saddic added that leaders need to first understand the skills they already have, identify where employees can grow, and establish a clear process for enabling those transitions before looking outside.
Why Internal Reskilling Stalls
One major obstacle is visibility. Nearly half of HR professionals (43%) and over a third of managers (34%) cited limited insight into individual skill sets—and into which employees should be reskilled—as a potential barrier. Without a clear of existing capabilities, reskilling opportunities are hard to spot.
This challenge isn’t new. In September, educational giant Pearson agreed to acquire Workera, an AI-native skills platform used by organizations such as ServiceNow, Accenture, and the US Space Force, highlighting the growing demand for better skills management.
Interestingly, 87% of HR pros and 84% of managers believe their organizations are adequately considering reskilling for future roles. But the hiring data suggests a different reality: companies may think they are prioritizing internal talent development even as their actions point elsewhere.
Industry Differences in AI Hiring and Reskilling
Responses vary widely by sector. In technology and telecom, external hiring outpaces redeployment by 15%. Media and entertainment stands out as the only industry surveyed where both groups report redeployment at least as frequently as external hiring. Among HR professionals in that sector, 56% report redeploying employees, versus just 25% who hire externally.
The cost implications are significant. Separate research from The Josh Bersin Company, cited in the white paper, found that external hiring can cost three to five times more than filling comparable roles internally—and takes up to 20 days longer on average.
For organizations grappling with AI talent needs, the message is clear: the confidence in employees’ ability to learn is there, but the systems and visibility to act on it often are not. Bridging that gap could unlock both savings and loyalty.
