Universities should arm students with AI ‘eval’ powers
Nobody is talking about the talent gap. While companies race to deploy AI, they're facing a critical shortage: people who know how to evaluate models.
Why it matters
As organizations move from experimentation to production AI, the ability to rigorously test and validate models against real-world requirements is becoming a competitive advantage—and universities aren't teaching it yet.
The key facts
8 to knowGap in AI evaluation skills across workforce
Organizations need constant model testing against actual business requirements
Universities lack curriculum focus on model evaluation and validation
Model evaluation emerging as critical operational capability for production deployments
FT opinion piece arguing for curriculum shift toward model evaluation skills
Framing: organizations need constant model testing against real-world requirements
Skills gap identified: evaluation competency as critical infrastructure need
Published July 2026 — reflects emerging talent/education policy discussion in AI economy
Go to the source
Financial Times Technologyft.com
Publisher excerpt: Organisations will need people with the skills to test models constantly against what they actually need