Need for more AI skills in media industry, study finds

Kantar Media said it also found that 66% of respondents felt it was important to recruit from outside the media industry to get fresh perspectives, with 90% saying they wanted to recruit people who will challenge what the organisation is doing.

Nearly half of respondents ( 49%) said that AI is already having a significant impact on their organisation, with 74% saying that AI skills will be essential for new recruits.

The findings are based on an online survey featuring more than 1,000 respondents directly involved in data, research and insights across more than 50 markets, and which took place from April to May 2024.

Other conclusions from the research include that 70% of respondents felt the media industry has a problem with unconscious bias and should do more to recruit talent from all backgrounds.

Media organisations are more likely to try to grow or recruit AI skills in-house, Kantar Media said, and 67% of respondents reported that it is hard to compete with other organisations to recruit the best talent, with 75% saying it is hard to retain their best talent.

In addition, 83% said they believe that a good grounding in how media works is essential for new recruits.

Patrick Béhar, global chief executive officer at Kantar Media, said: “The media industry is changing at an accelerated pace. Whether it’s due to big data, automation, generative AI or the next big innovation – what worked yesterday won’t necessarily work tomorrow.

“Now, more than ever, hiring and retaining talent that can adapt to and drive change, challenge the status quo and bring fresh perspectives on the future of media and measurement will dictate who wins and who is left behind.”