STEM specialist recruiters SThree say professionals in five of the world’s leading STEM economies are wasting an average of six hours weekly due to limited access to advanced AI tools.
The SThree study, “How the STEM world works“, estimates that this lack of AI tools is costing the 59 million STEM workers in the US, UK, Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands a combined $773 billion (£633.5 billion) annually in lost productivity.
One in six professionals in these leading STEM economies loses an entire working day a week to processes that could be accelerated with AI – and almost half (49 per cent) say their company’s adoption of AI so far has been poor compared to their peers’.
SThree surveyed more than 2,500 STEM professionals in five of the world’s most developed STEM economies – the US, UK, Japan, Germany and the Netherlands. The study aims to lift the lid on how STEM specialists view the efforts of company leaders to embrace artificial intelligence.
“The research highlights an urgent need for STEM-driven economies to implement AI-driven changes within their businesses, yet the pace of adoption remains a significant challenge,” says Timo Lehne, CEO of SThree. “Despite a substantial STEM skills gap in the economy, we see STEM specialists calling for change to enhance productivity.
“It is no exaggeration to say that this reluctance to embrace AI poses a serious risk to our economic future. We hope that businesses recognise the transformative potential of AI and take decisive steps towards its integration, not only to improve efficiency but to safeguard long-term economic stability.”
The “How the STEM world works” results highlight a gap between STEM professionals’ positive views on AI and company leaders’ appetite for change. A total of 67% of STEM employees say adopting advanced AI would have a positive or very positive impact on company growth. However, 48% of STEM professionals say their organisation’s leadership simply does not understand how the latest technologies could help them do a better job. This may explain why 57% choose to describe their leadership as “digitally illiterate”.
And while 79% of STEM employees have proposed tech or software innovations to their employers, 71% of those were unsuccessful. Most said their leadership’s “digital illiteracy” was the primary reason or a major factor for the unsuccessful pitch.
Timo added: “Our research reveals that many STEM workers have a strong desire to use AI but feel held back by their organisations, leading to productivity losses. To bridge this gap, leaders must understand and support their workforce, focusing on soft skills and creating a trusting work environment. This approach not only boosts productivity but also enhances employee wellbeing and can help drive business success.”
