Where Are the World’s AI Experts? A Deep Dive into Global Talent Distribution

Introduction

When people think of artificial intelligence they often picture robots, but this report focuses on the real people behind AI: the global distribution of AI talent.

Why AI Talent Matters

AI technology is developing quickly and countries are eager to train and attract AI professionals. Recent policies, such as China’s AI undergraduate programs and Canada’s Global Skills Strategy visa, illustrate this demand.

Data Sources

The analysis combines three main sources: (1) publications from 21 top AI conferences, (2) targeted LinkedIn searches for AI experts with PhDs and key skills, and (3) external reports and secondary data to contextualise the findings.

Growth of AI Research

In 2018, 22,400 researchers published at least one paper at a top AI conference, a 36% increase from 2015 and a 19% rise from the previous year. Peer‑reviewed publications grew 25% since 2015 and 16% year‑over‑year. Women accounted for only 18% of authors at these conferences.

Academic Background of Top Authors

Among authors of the most influential papers (the top 18% who contributed major impact), 44% earned their PhDs in the United States, 11% in China, followed by the United Kingdom (6%), Germany (5%), Canada (4%) and Japan (4%).

Geographic Distribution of AI Experts

Self‑reported AI experts on LinkedIn total 36,524, a 66% increase from the previous year. The five countries that employ the majority of AI experts are the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada, together accounting for 72% of the sample.

Employment data show the United States employs 46% of the sampled AI researchers, China over 11%, the United Kingdom 7%, and Canada, Germany and Japan each about 4%.

Overall, 77% of conference authors work in academia while 23% are in industry.

Talent Mobility

Approximately one‑third of AI researchers do not work in the country where they earned their doctorate. In countries with at least 150 authors, up to 32% of researchers are employed abroad.

Countries with a net inflow of AI talent include Taiwan, Sweden, South Korea, Spain, the United States, Switzerland, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Gender Imbalance

Women remain under‑represented: only 12% of authors at three major AI conferences were women last year, rising to 18% in the 2019 data. In academia, women account for 19% of authors, while in industry they represent 16%.

Conclusion

The report shows a clear upward trend in AI research output and talent numbers, with the United States leading across most metrics. Nevertheless, AI talent is highly international, and many countries are actively cultivating and attracting AI experts.