In collaboration with Darwin X, we have published our Data & AI Human Capital Report – Retail Edition 2025, providing an in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of data and artificial intelligence (AI) talent within the global retail sector. This comprehensive study measures the proportion of a company's workforce dedicated to Data & AI functions, offering valuable insights into the strategic emphasis placed on these roles by leading retailers.
Key findings include:
- Rapid expansion of AI talent: Retailers worldwide are significantly increasing their Data & AI talent pools to secure long-term competitive advantage. Over the past year, the total number of Data & AI specialists across the top 50 global retailers has grown by 15%, with a notable 30% increase in AI-specific roles
- Strategic shift to AI execution: There is a clear strategic shift from data enablement to AI execution, with a growing share of roles in machine learning operations and applied AI
- Regional leadership: France now leads in AI specialist density and the U.K. leads in strength in Data Science density, underscoring the critical importance of investing in AI and Data Science to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge
If you are keen to know where your business stands in relation to the other companies analyzed, or if you need help in thinking about your AI strategy, please do get in touch.
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