[Beginner's Guide] Which AI Should You Use? The 'Untold Truth' from Reskilling Survey and Explanations of 4 Major AIs

F&M Net Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Suita City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Yasuhiro Ueeda) conducted an anonymous survey on reskilling among 300 male and female employees working at companies through its business media "Romu SEARCH," which targets administrative departments.

300 Respondents! Reskilling Survey [2026]

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Survey Background In recent years, with the spread of generative AI and changes in working styles, interest in "reskilling" has increased among company employees. AI and generative AI skills, in particular, are attracting attention as fields directly linked to improving work efficiency and career development. However, many people who feel they "want to engage in relearning" are not taking actual action due to reasons such as not knowing what to learn, difficulty securing time and money, and so on.

This time, Romu SEARCH conducted a survey on reskilling. Romu SEARCH will continue to conduct surveys that can solve the problems of administrative departments and disseminate valuable information useful for back-office operations.

Request regarding citation and reproduction of this survey■■ When citing or reproducing the data from this survey, please be sure to state "Source: Romu SEARCH (https://romsearch.officestation.jp/report/56160)".

Main Survey Results - Approximately half say "I want to, but I haven't been able to." - The No. 1 skill chosen for relearning is AI/generative AI. - The biggest barrier is "not knowing what to learn." - 40% are considering side jobs/freelancing. - 60% say corporate reskilling support is "insufficient." - Over 60% don't even know the name of national support systems.

● Approximately half say "I want to, but I haven't been able to." Are you currently engaged in reskilling (relearning new skills necessary for work)?

When asked about their engagement in reskilling, the most common response was "I want to, but I haven't been able to" at 49.0%. This was followed by "I'm gradually engaging in it" at 34.3%, "I don't feel the necessity/haven't thought about it" at 8.7%, and "I'm actively engaging in it" at 8.0%.

The total number of people actually engaged (actively + gradually) is 42.3%. On the other hand, the structure revealed that approximately half of the respondents belong to the group "I'm willing but haven't taken action." It can be said that the reality for many company employees is that they "want to reskill," but are hindered by real-world obstacles.

● The No. 1 skill chosen for relearning is AI/generative AI. When those who responded that they are engaged in reskilling were asked about the fields of skills they are acquiring (multiple responses), the most common was "AI/generative AI utilization skills" at 30.7%. This was followed by "IT/digital skills (programming, data analysis, etc.)" at 18.7%, "language (English, etc.)" at 14.7%, "specialized qualifications/national qualifications" at 13.3%, and "business/management skills" at 11.3%.

The fact that AI/generative AI skills ranked overwhelmingly first symbolizes the times. Combined with IT/digital skills, they account for approximately 50%, highlighting the high interest in digital skills.

When HR departments promote relearning, it is crucial to design a system that not only focuses on "what to learn" but also "how to certify and evaluate what has been learned."

[For those who answered "I am engaging in it"] What kind of skills are you acquiring?

● The biggest barrier is "not knowing what to learn." [For those who answered "I want to, but I haven't been able to"] What are the main reasons for that?

When those who responded "I want to, but I haven't been able to" were asked about the main reasons (multiple responses), "not knowing what to learn" was at the top at 32.9%. This was followed by "no time" at 24.1%, "can't maintain motivation" at 15.9%, "costs money" at 15.3%, and "no place to utilize it within the company even if learned" at 6.5%.

It is noteworthy that the biggest obstacle is not "time" or "cost," but rather the lack of clarity in direction, "not knowing what to learn." This situation suggests that company employees, despite having the will to relearn, are unable to connect their career goals with the skills they should acquire.

For HR, it is urgent to not only develop training systems but also to focus on "connecting individual goals with learning support" through 1-on-1s and career counseling. Furthermore, to answer the question "I want to learn AI, but where do I start?", the starting point is to first understand the types of AI and their areas of expertise.

● 40% are considering side jobs/freelancing. When asked about their career plans for the next 5 years, "considering side jobs/freelancing" was at the top at 40.0%. "Skills in my current job..."