**The big picture:** A new national survey reveals employers are struggling to identify current employee skills and future skill needs as AI rapidly reshapes the workplace. **Why it matters:** This lack of visibility creates a significant challenge for staffing leaders and talent acquisition executives in developing competitive workforces and addressing the evolving skills gap. **Between the lines:** - The Harris Poll conducted the national survey on behalf of University of Phoenix. - The focus is on how individuals can specialize in in-demand skills to remain competitive. - The report highlights the struggle isn't whether skills matter, but knowing which skills employees possess. **Staffing & HR impact:** Talent development strategies must adapt to proactively identify and cultivate AI-relevant skills, impacting recruitment pipelines and internal mobility programs. This directly affects gross margins by increasing the cost of upskilling or external hiring for critical roles. **The bottom line:** Proactive skill assessment and continuous learning are paramount for workforce resilience in the AI age.