Three-Quarters of Poland's Marketing Firms Can't Find AI and Data Talent

Poland's marketing communication industry is speaking with one voice: there's no one to hire. According to the latest report from the Sectoral Skills Council for Marketing Communication (Sektorowa Rada ds. Kompetencji - Komunikacja Marketingowa), 76.8 percent of companies in the sector cite recruiting the right candidates as a significant challenge, and at the top of the list of missing skills are competencies related to artificial intelligence and automation.

The report "Marketing Communication 2026" was commissioned by the Sectoral Skills Council, which operates under the Association of Marketing Communication SAR (Stowarzyszenie Komunikacji Marketingowej SAR) and IAB Polska. The project is funded by EU money under the European Funds for Social Development 2021-2027 program (Fundusze Europejskie dla Rozwoju Społecznego), and its second edition will run through 2029. The results were published on September 1, 2026.

Where It Hurts Most

The report's authors asked companies directly which skills they miss most in current and potential employees. In first place, with 15.66 percent of responses, were skills related to artificial intelligence and process automation. Right behind, at 14.29 percent, came the ability to combine creative and technological competencies, something the industry increasingly calls "hybrid skills."

Further down the list are strategic thinking in marketing (12.91 percent), cross-department collaboration (11.81 percent), and leadership skills (10.99 percent). This shows the problem isn't just a shortage of specialists in one specific AI tool, but a much broader mismatch between candidate profiles and what work actually looks like today in agencies and marketing departments.

Hybrid Skills Over Narrow Specialization

Paweł Tyszkiewicz, chairman of the Sectoral Council and president of SAR, stresses that simply implementing new tools isn't enough for a company to gain a market advantage.

The organizations that build an advantage will be the ones that can not only implement new tools but also update their business model - Paweł Tyszkiewicz, chairman of the Sectoral Council, president of SAR

A similar tone comes through in comments from Ewa Opach, deputy chair of the Council and director of education at IAB Polska, who points out that AI tool proficiency alone isn't enough to navigate a changing industry.

Knowing the tools alone isn't enough. Critical thinking and adaptability are becoming key - Ewa Opach, deputy chair of the Sectoral Council, director of education at IAB Polska

Junior Roles Aren't Disappearing

Contrary to fears that the rise of generative AI would close the door on young people entering the job market, the report paints a different picture. 58.3 percent of companies say they aren't cutting back on hiring for junior and internship positions despite advancing automation, while 27.2 percent plan to recruit evenly across age groups.

Marcin Gaworski, a board member of the Association of Marketing Communication SAR, believes young candidates hold a significant advantage in this context. As a generation that grew up with technology, they enter companies with a natural digital fluency that older generations still have to be taught. That doesn't mean the job market is easy for them, though - companies expect the same hybrid skills from them that are lacking among more experienced employees.

What This Means for Polish Companies

For HR departments and recruitment agencies in Poland, the report confirms what job listings have been showing for months: AI tool proficiency is no longer a nice-to-have but a formal requirement for marketing roles. At the same time, companies are running into a real shortage of candidates who can pair those skills with creativity and strategic thinking, rather than just operating the latest content generator.

A separate thread in the report concerns a gap in ethical standards. Only about a third of organizations have formalized rules for labeling AI-generated content, which the authors flag as an area needing urgent attention, especially given the EU rules on labeling AI-generated content that took effect in August.

The report recommends that companies invest in reskilling programs for their existing teams instead of relying solely on the external market, where, as the numbers show, suitable candidates are simply scarce. The recommendations are also aimed at universities and educational institutions, which the authors say still don't adequately prepare graduates for work that combines technical, analytical, and creative skills.