The Key to Outrunning the Competition: Upskilling on AI & ML in Your Workforce Strategy
Look around: AI is no longer a fringe concept—it is fundamentally reshaping entire industries, and organizations who leverage resources, like outsourcing partners, to build AI skills and advance their organizational infrastructures are running laps around those that don’t.
According to a 2024 Freshworks report, 52% of surveyed organizations reported productivity gains from AI, 33% noted increased revenue, and 32% saw a boost in employee satisfaction.
Those aren’t just statistics; they’re a wake-up call that embracing AI starts with building—and upskilling—a team ready to leverage it. That’s where strategic outsourcing partners truly shine. Upskilling is woven into their DNA, and this strategic approach to workforce growth has never been more critical.
By tapping into an outsourcing partner’s established AI and ML expertise and streamlined training programs, your organization can integrate these critical technologies more efficiently—and pull ahead of the competition.
“The truth is: What’s cutting edge today will become legacy skills in the future. To remain competitive, we are invested in augmenting our training and upskilling capability.” – John Poast, Director of Program Management
JDA TSG’s Director of Program Management, John Poast, who has over thirty years of experience in leadership and operational excellence, doubles down on how important upskilling is in this age of pursuing the newest and greatest: “The competition to fill roles that can utilize this technology has increased significantly over the past year, and I expect that trend to continue.”
According to Deloitte, Poast’s intuition is spot on. Ninety-two percent of organizations surveyed by Deloitte in 2024 are leveraging or plan to leverage AI in their service delivery—yet only 20% of those executives are building out their digital workforce strategy with AI in mind.
Instead, most executives are turning to outsourcing partners—ninety six percent to be exact. Why? Because strategic outsourcing partners are already prepared for these needs.
“By implementing AI-augmented tools and technology that streamlines workflows and improves efficiency, we are elevating our teams’ ability to deliver unparalleled support.” – Ann Piccirillo, SVP of People Operations
Industry-leading outsourcing partners are continuously collaborating and identifying best practices for upskilling. Ann Piccirillo, JDA TSG’s people leader with extensive experience building high-performing teams, has already seen the impact of AI-human collaboration on JDA TSG’s client base and business goals.
After all, if anything is certain, it’s that AI is here to stay; and Piccirillo is quick to point out that the gap between organizations that prioritize workforce readiness for AI and ML and those that don’t widens.
Those who are victim to this gap can keep from falling by leveraging a strategic outsourcing partner. Just look at the data. In 2024, 57% of organizations surveyed by Freshworks reported that their customer service department used AI at least once a week—and that was low compared to other departments, such as IT, who reported a heavy hitting 85 percent.
In fact, 46% of those surveyed agree that any company not using AI is already behind and likely to fail in the future.
“Organizations have to find more effective, consistent, and established ways to upskill; and they have to increase their skills-baseline of hiring.” – Rob Garden, SVP of Business Intelligence & Applications
Rob Garden, a Microsoft alumnus and current Senior Vice President of Business Intelligence & Applications, has seen firsthand how quickly specialized knowledge can become mainstream.
During his time at Microsoft in the late ’90s, technology once reserved for industry insiders soon spread to end users—forcing rapid changes in how his team developed tools, delivered support, and stayed ahead of customer innovation.
Fast forward to 2025 and that same dynamic is playing out on an even larger scale with AI and ML. To keep pace, organizations must remain agile and continuously elevate their teams’ capabilities. The real question is: are you prepared?
As AI continues to redefine traditional business models, the challenge isn’t just whether to adopt these technologies, but how. The good news is you don’t have to figure it out alone. Below is a simple checklist to help you map out your organization’s readiness and chart a path toward AI and ML excellence.
AI & ML Workforce Readiness Checklist
▢ Define Your AI & ML Goals: Determine how you want AI and ML to enhance your operations (e.g., automating customer service, strengthening IT support, driving data-based decisions). A clear roadmap sets the tone for your next steps.
▢ Pinpoint Skill Gaps: Conduct a thorough skills audit of your team. Do you need experts in data analytics, machine learning, or automation? Identifying these gaps early ensures you bring in the right resources.
▢ Build—or Outsource—Your Talent Pool: Decide whether you’ll hire internally or partner with an outsourcing provider. Outsourcing can give you immediate access to experienced professionals, reducing time-to-impact and overhead costs.
▢ Develop a Continuous Upskilling Strategy: Commit to regular training programs to keep your workforce ahead of the AI curve. Whether it’s upskilling existing employees or onboarding specialized teams, a continuous learning culture is essential.
▢ Move Fast, Stay Flexible: The AI landscape changes quickly, so agility matters. Outsourcing partners can help you pivot, scale, or refocus as new tools and technologies emerge.
▢ Consult with an Industry-Leading Outsourcing Partner: Ready to accelerate your AI and ML integration? Get in touch with us to explore how a tailored outsourcing solution can bridge your talent gaps and power your organization’s growth.
JDA TSG is ready to take on the challenges of this new age. Set up time to discuss how partnering with JDA TSG you can retain your internal talent through upskilling, hire the people ready to advance your AI and ML goals, and scale strategically and efficiently.