Survey Results Announced on Skills High-Class Talent Wants to Strengthen in 2026: The Top Skill Least Likely to Be Replaced in the AI Era is 'Management Ability to Mobilize Organizations and People'
Kreis & Company released a survey showing that high-class talent prioritize strengthening 'strategy formulation' and 'management skills' over direct AI utilization, viewing leadership and human-centric skills as irreplaceable in the AI era.
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- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 00:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 16:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 11:34 (91h 32m after Collected)
Kreis & Company Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Takahiro Maruyama), a high-class career transition support company, announces the results of a survey on 'Skills High-Class Talent Wants to Strengthen in the AI Era'. This was conducted as part of the 'Career Awareness Survey of High-Class Talent' targeting job seekers who received our career counseling.
This survey clarified what skills high-class talent value for the future against the backdrop of advancements in AI and technology. The results showed a higher interest in "skills that are hard to replace," such as the ability to drive business and the management skills to mobilize organizations, rather than the skills to utilize AI or evolving technologies themselves.
The most desired skills to strengthen in 2026 are 'Ability to envision business/strategy' and 'Ability to identify essential issues and frame questions'.
Regarding skills to strengthen in the AI era, 'Ability to envision business/strategy' (26%) and 'Ability to identify essential issues and frame questions' (24.4%) ranked at the top. This was followed by 'Management ability to mobilize organizations and people' (17.6%) and 'Ability to utilize the latest technology and AI in work' (13.7%).
There is a tendency to emphasize higher-level skills such as task setting and business promotion, in addition to AI utilization itself.
Reasons for skill strengthening are 'Expansion of career options' and 'Response to environmental changes'.
The most common reason for wanting to strengthen skills was 'Because I want to increase my future career options' (21.5%).
On the other hand, 'Because the environment surrounding businesses and jobs is changing significantly' (20.1%) and 'Because what is required in my current role is changing' (8.8%) combined for about 30%, showing a high level of awareness regarding skill strengthening backed by the need to respond to recent environmental changes.
Furthermore, 'Because I want to increase my market value' (19.7%) also ranked high, revealing an attitude of proactively trying to expand career options while taking external environmental changes into account.
The top 'Skill hard to replace' is 'Management ability to mobilize organizations and people'.
The skill considered hard to be replaced in the AI era was 'Management ability to mobilize organizations and people' (26.1%). This was followed by 'Ability to identify essential issues and frame questions' (18.4%) and 'Ability to build relationships and networks outside the company' (17.5%). Notably, responses for 'Ability to utilize the latest technology and AI in work' were at 4.4%, suggesting that AI utilization is seen as a prerequisite skill rather than a differentiating factor.
Analysis and Discussion
The results show that 'Ability to envision business/strategy' and 'Ability to identify essential issues and frame questions' are ranked high as skills that the high-class segment wants to strengthen in 2026. While there is a certain level of interest in AI utilization skills, it is merely one weapon for driving business and mobilizing organizations. It can be said that greater emphasis is placed on the ability to think about 'what to do' and 'what the issue is' using AI and technology, and putting it into action. In addition, 'Management ability to mobilize organizations and people' topped the list of 'skills hard to replace in the AI era', reaffirming the importance of the roles played by people in the AI era and the necessity of envisioning how to work and the nature of organizations as one builds their career.
What is 'Ambitious High-Class Talent'?
Our company believes that for work you truly want to commit to, 'ambition' is required in addition to 'annual salary' and 'position'. Business professionals who work with 'ambition', the source of creating vision and motivation, are needed by many companies, play important roles, and contribute to society through their own and the company's growth. We refer to those who work every day with passionate feelings, not just high income, as 'Ambitious High-Class Talent'.
The average annual salary of the respondents to this survey was 12.04 million yen, and the average age was 36.
About Kreis & Company's 'Career Awareness Survey of Ambitious High-Class Talent'
- Survey period: Between February and March 2026
- Number of respondents: 137
- Survey method: Conducted via an optional online questionnaire to those who received our career counseling. Includes multiple-choice questions.
Kreis & Company Inc.
Kreis & Company Inc. has the vision of 'Ambitious high-class career transitions with Kreis', and operates a career transition support business that emphasizes 'ambition', the source of individual motivation, in addition to the important factors of annual salary and position in career changes.
This survey clarified what skills high-class talent value for the future against the backdrop of advancements in AI and technology. The results showed a higher interest in "skills that are hard to replace," such as the ability to drive business and the management skills to mobilize organizations, rather than the skills to utilize AI or evolving technologies themselves.
The most desired skills to strengthen in 2026 are 'Ability to envision business/strategy' and 'Ability to identify essential issues and frame questions'.
Regarding skills to strengthen in the AI era, 'Ability to envision business/strategy' (26%) and 'Ability to identify essential issues and frame questions' (24.4%) ranked at the top. This was followed by 'Management ability to mobilize organizations and people' (17.6%) and 'Ability to utilize the latest technology and AI in work' (13.7%).
There is a tendency to emphasize higher-level skills such as task setting and business promotion, in addition to AI utilization itself.
Reasons for skill strengthening are 'Expansion of career options' and 'Response to environmental changes'.
The most common reason for wanting to strengthen skills was 'Because I want to increase my future career options' (21.5%).
On the other hand, 'Because the environment surrounding businesses and jobs is changing significantly' (20.1%) and 'Because what is required in my current role is changing' (8.8%) combined for about 30%, showing a high level of awareness regarding skill strengthening backed by the need to respond to recent environmental changes.
Furthermore, 'Because I want to increase my market value' (19.7%) also ranked high, revealing an attitude of proactively trying to expand career options while taking external environmental changes into account.
The top 'Skill hard to replace' is 'Management ability to mobilize organizations and people'.
The skill considered hard to be replaced in the AI era was 'Management ability to mobilize organizations and people' (26.1%). This was followed by 'Ability to identify essential issues and frame questions' (18.4%) and 'Ability to build relationships and networks outside the company' (17.5%). Notably, responses for 'Ability to utilize the latest technology and AI in work' were at 4.4%, suggesting that AI utilization is seen as a prerequisite skill rather than a differentiating factor.
Analysis and Discussion
The results show that 'Ability to envision business/strategy' and 'Ability to identify essential issues and frame questions' are ranked high as skills that the high-class segment wants to strengthen in 2026. While there is a certain level of interest in AI utilization skills, it is merely one weapon for driving business and mobilizing organizations. It can be said that greater emphasis is placed on the ability to think about 'what to do' and 'what the issue is' using AI and technology, and putting it into action. In addition, 'Management ability to mobilize organizations and people' topped the list of 'skills hard to replace in the AI era', reaffirming the importance of the roles played by people in the AI era and the necessity of envisioning how to work and the nature of organizations as one builds their career.
What is 'Ambitious High-Class Talent'?
Our company believes that for work you truly want to commit to, 'ambition' is required in addition to 'annual salary' and 'position'. Business professionals who work with 'ambition', the source of creating vision and motivation, are needed by many companies, play important roles, and contribute to society through their own and the company's growth. We refer to those who work every day with passionate feelings, not just high income, as 'Ambitious High-Class Talent'.
The average annual salary of the respondents to this survey was 12.04 million yen, and the average age was 36.
About Kreis & Company's 'Career Awareness Survey of Ambitious High-Class Talent'
- Survey period: Between February and March 2026
- Number of respondents: 137
- Survey method: Conducted via an optional online questionnaire to those who received our career counseling. Includes multiple-choice questions.
Kreis & Company Inc.
Kreis & Company Inc. has the vision of 'Ambitious high-class career transitions with Kreis', and operates a career transition support business that emphasizes 'ambition', the source of individual motivation, in addition to the important factors of annual salary and position in career changes.