Can AI Predict the Talent You Need?
Companies that use AI in HR see up to 30% faster hiring, 25% improvement in employee retention, and 5× greater productivity gains compared to those that don’t, according to McKinsey and IBM. These aren’t just back-office perks—they’re strategic advantages.
You forecast revenue. You model cash flow. Why wouldn’t you forecast talent the same way?
What Does Predictive Talent Planning Actually Look Like?
Tools like Eightfold AI, Gloat, and Visier are bringing predictive modeling to HR. These platforms use machine learning to:
Inventory your team’s current skills and roles
Benchmark against industry trends and labor market data
Predict which skills will be in demand
Suggest career paths, internal mobility options, or reskilling
Forecast hiring needs based on projected growth
Think of it as a real-time talent map plus a GPS for where your org is heading. For example, Eightfold can scan your workforce and show that several employees in customer service have 70% of the skills needed for entry-level data roles—prompting you to upskill instead of hire.
Real-World Examples: How Big Companies Are Using It
Unilever partnered with Gloat to build an internal talent marketplace. Employees are matched with open projects, mentoring opportunities, or stretch roles based on skills—not job titles. This cut external hiring costs and increased internal mobility.
PepsiCo used Eightfold to anticipate where automation might create future skill gaps. Instead of laying off staff, they launched targeted reskilling programs to keep employees growing as the business evolved.
Merck KGaA used Visier to run workforce simulations for different business scenarios—like expanding into new markets or launching new product lines—and modeled how many people and what roles they’d need.
These aren’t just enterprise wins. Many of these platforms now offer SMB versions, integrations with common HRIS systems, and modular pricing. You don’t need to be a Fortune 100 to benefit.
What Should You Do First?
You don’t need a Chief People Officer or data scientist to get started. Here’s a simple entry point:
Define your next stage of growth (new product, new market, team doubling)
List the skills needed to make that happen
Use a tool like Gloat, Eightfold, or Retrain.ai to compare current capacity vs. future needs
See where you can train, promote, or shift internally—before you post another job
Predictive talent planning is no longer a luxury—it’s a competitive edge. In a tight labor market, the companies that know what’s coming will move faster, spend smarter, and retain better. AI helps you lead from the front.
