Timo Lehne
CEO, SThree
Sarah Mason
Chief People Officer, SThree
Everybody is talking about AI, but what about the people behind it? Global STEM workforce consultancy addresses the growing AI skills gap, helping businesses to build a future-ready workforce.
Artificial intelligence is often framed as a technological revolution, but its true potential lies in the hands of people.
The human factor in AI success
Technology doesn’t implement itself, and algorithms don’t deploy at scale without the engineers, data scientists and domain experts who can make it happen. “It’s not just about coding models,” says SThree CEO Timo Lehne. “It’s about designing systems that are usable, fair and future-ready.”
AI is only as powerful as the teams behind it. These teams need to be grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration and include not just technologists but also communicators, change managers and ethical thinkers.
An AI-ready team blends
technical acumen with adaptability,
communication skills and ethical awareness.
Encouraging acceptance
AI is commonly seen as a threat to existing job roles. This, however, could not be further from the truth. AI is reshaping roles, reducing repetitive tasks and allowing skilled professionals to focus on more strategic and creative work.
“If AI is perceived as a threat, resistance is likely to stall progress. It is essential to involve and inform your people before rolling out AI programmes to encourage their understanding and support,” explains Sarah Mason, Chief People Officer.
In healthcare, for example, AI is helping to analyse medical data more quickly, but the final decisions still rest with human experts and clinicians. By equipping and supporting your current and future workforce with the right skills and values, you ensure AI becomes a tool for empowerment, rather than exclusion.
Future-proofing your workforce
While organisations are racing to integrate new technologies, something is all too often overlooked: people. While ambition is high, the talent pool is tight. Businesses need to find the right mix of skills, from machine learning to data ethics to systems integration and cloud architecture. With roles evolving fast, yesterday’s job specs may not cut it tomorrow.
“Technical roles like data scientists, machine learning engineers and AI ethicists are vital, but equally important are roles that ensure AI has real-world impact: project managers, domain experts in life sciences or engineering, and even behavioural experts,” says Lehne.
Future-proofing means investing early and consistently in people. Businesses need to proactively map out their future workforce based on what skills will be needed going forward. This means making smart and strategic employment decisions. “We see the most sustainable impact when organisations proactively shape their talent ecosystems and foster a culture of continuous learning,” adds Mason.
From talent provider to strategic partner
Working at the heart of STEM workforce development and hiring globally, SThree sees firsthand how skilled professionals are bringing AI to life, not just in labs and data centres, but at the heart of business and public services. “We work with clients to help them build a workforce infrastructure that underpins AI innovation. We understand where skill gaps are emerging and how to close them, working with clients to forecast needs, shape workforce strategies and ensure teams are resilient, diverse and ready to scale AI ethically.”
An AI-ready team blends technical acumen with adaptability, communication skills and ethical awareness. While demand for skilled professionals in AI is soaring, roles are changing faster than hiring strategies can adapt, meaning many organisations are finding themselves unprepared for the complexity ahead. SThree aims to help close that gap, offering deep STEM expertise and strategic workforce insight.
“AI adoption isn’t inevitable,” Mason explains. “It’s a choice, and that choice begins with investing in people.”
