Global survey reveals disparity in perception of AI skills

A comprehensive survey conducted by Bosch as part of its Tech Compass 2025 initiative has revealed significant insights regarding the global perception of artificial intelligence (AI) skills. The study, which encompassed 11,000 respondents from countries including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, the UK, and the USA, found that a considerable 71% of individuals believe AI proficiency is crucial to their future success. Of these respondents, 56% indicated that AI skills are essential or important for their current employment roles.

The findings highlighted stark regional differences in the perceived importance of AI skills. Notably, respondents from China and India, with 91% and 89% respectively, demonstrated a stronger belief in the necessity of AI expertise compared to their Western counterparts. In Germany and France, only 60% and 56% of respondents, respectively, regarded these skills as critical.

The survey underscores that the capacity to effectively utilise AI tools is considered the most vital skill on a global scale, with 59% of respondents identifying it as key. Following this, critical thinking and awareness of cybersecurity were also recognised as important, with both achieving 44%. In the UK specifically, critical thinking was valued slightly more highly than proficiency in AI, with 50% of respondents prioritising it over the 49% who emphasised AI skills.

A significant majority of respondents, at 82%, expressed intentions to expand their knowledge of AI. The preferred methods for acquiring these skills were through self-study (54%), foundational AI courses (36%), and specialised workshops (27%). India, China, and Brazil showed particularly high motivation for learning, with respective interest levels of 98%, 95%, and 92%. In contrast, 30% of those surveyed in the UK reported no intention to pursue AI education.

Bosch’s survey also highlighted the growing emphasis on AI in educational contexts, with 63% of people globally supporting the incorporation of AI into school curriculums. This enthusiasm was most pronounced in China (84%) and India (79%), whereas the UK reflected the lowest support level at 53%. Bosch noted that these findings illustrate the increasing recognition of education and skill development in unlocking the advantages of an AI-centric future.

Among those currently employed, 53% reported occasional use of AI tools in their professional tasks, although a notable 47% claimed they never engage with such technology. Particularly in Western countries, the reluctance to adopt AI appears more significant, with 61% of respondents in France, 55% in Germany, and 54% in the UK stating they never use AI tools.

The Tech Compass data indicated that over a quarter (28%) of respondents globally have completed some form of AI training, with an additional 11% planning to do so. India leads in AI training, with 57% of respondents having received some form of education in this field, while numbers were significantly lower in Germany (18%) and France (15%).

Looking towards the future, the Bossh Tech Compass results show that 67% of respondents regard AI as the most vital technology in the coming years, a marked increase from previous years—64% in 2024 and 41% in 2023. Despite the hesitance to pursue AI education, a substantial number of individuals from Germany (72%) and France (70%) perceive AI as essential for the future, trailing slightly behind respondents from China (69%), the US (68%), and the UK (66%).

An interesting inquiry regarding the potential for AI to win a Nobel Prize yielded varying opinions across regions: 68% of respondents from India and 63% from China supported the notion, while skepticism prevailed among those in Germany (31%), the UK (33%), and France (38%).

Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management at Bosch, encapsulated the findings by stating, “AI skills are no longer limited to experts. With education, we can harness AI to enhance everyone’s abilities, validate AI outcomes, and ultimately improve human-machine collaboration.”

Source: Noah Wire Services