The sector is forecasting a need for about 90,000 specialized professionals in data analysis and artificial intelligence by 2025, according to a new report released this Monday by India And Talent Hackers. The data highlights a sharp gap between the pace of technology adoption and the availability of skilled technologists, signaling a critical manpower challenge for companies embracing AI-driven strategies.
The study, titled Talent Diagnostics in Data and Artificial Intelligence in Spain, was unveiled during the second forum of IndesIA, the association dedicated to accelerating the practical use of artificial intelligence across industry. This event underscored how national and regional players are aligning to harness digital capabilities for competitive advantage.
Key findings show that training pipelines for new technologists are not meeting the growing job demand. A notable 20 percent of advertised positions remain unfilled due to talent shortfalls. The authors of the report project that job offers in data and AI will outpace the current pool of professionals by approximately 22 percent, a gap not expected to close until well into the next decade. In practical terms, this means hiring costs will continue to rise, and shortages could constrain the growth and resilience of tech-driven organizations if left unaddressed.
Cristina Villanova, chief executive officer of Talent Hackers, emphasized that recruiting tech professionals will remain expensive in the years ahead, but a failure to secure talent could threaten corporate survival. She also noted that Spanish companies increasingly must compete on a global stage, supported by the growing flexibility of remote work arrangements that broaden the candidate pool beyond national borders.
For the public sector, Carme Artigas, the Minister of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence, highlighted a rapid and irreversible evolution in technology over the past three years. This shift is driving the emergence of a new productive, economic, and social model that requires robust digital skills across sectors.
The central government’s objective is to transform Spain into a highly attractive destination for advanced technology work. The aim is to create a productive ecosystem that fosters meaningful employment opportunities, equitable outcomes, and the development of ethical and sustainable artificial intelligence frameworks that benefit society as a whole.
Josu Jon Imaz, chief executive officer of Repsol and a member of IndesIA, stressed that the organization has a very clear commitment to advancing the industry. He described this as a cornerstone for building a modern economic and social fabric, driving innovation, and ensuring that the workforce enjoys strong job prospects and competitive salaries. The industry, he argued, serves as a benchmark in the national effort to modernize the economy.
Agreement with Microsoft
Valero Martín, president of IndesIA, announced a new collaboration with Microsoft to extend the benefits of productive AI to IndesIA’s partners. The alliance aims to enable a broad network of industry players, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to maximize the value of the data platform developed by IndesIA and to leverage the power of generative AI models offered through Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI services. This partnership is framed as a practical path to accelerate real-world AI deployment while maintaining a focus on responsible and scalable use cases.