AI is changing the rules of the game. Almost half of companies prefer internship to diploma

Last year, 47 percent companies paid more attention to practical skills than to theoretical knowledge when recruiting and developing employees, due to the development of artificial intelligence – according to the EFL report. The impact of AI on recruitment in the SME sector was most visible in medium-sized companies.

The EFL report “Education or experience? What helps in business. Under the microscope” shows that 47 percent SME sector entrepreneurs in 2025 paid more attention to candidates' practical skills than to their theoretical knowledge. At the same time, 51 percent companies based their decisions primarily on the candidates' knowledge. According to the report's authors, this means that the labor market is in a transitional phase between the traditional and competence-based recruitment models.

“Artificial intelligence is changing the way we think about employee competences, thus changing recruitment criteria. It is increasingly becoming crucial what the candidate can actually do, how quickly he learns and how he adapts to new tools and work modelsand not only what knowledge he has on paper. This approach is particularly visible in industries that already intensively use new technologies, such as production or services,” said Paweł Bojko, vice-president of the EFL management board, quoted in the press release.

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AI is changing recruitment in Poland

The report shows that the impact of AI on the approach to recruitment in 2025 depended on the size of the company. Among medium-sized enterprises (50-249 employees), 71 percent owners declared that due to the development of artificial intelligence, they pay more attention to candidates' skills than to their education. In micro-enterprises, this approach was declared by 31 percent. subjects. In turn, 68 percent owners of the smallest companies did not change their approach and still valued theoretical knowledge more highly.

According to the authors of the study, this is directly related to the fact that AI was used more often in larger entities in 2025. 75% used it in their daily activities. medium-sized companies, and 8 percent respondents in this category did not use it. Last year, AI was used in micro-enterprises. 17 percent enterprises, while 68 percent it was not used.

Leaders of change: Production and services

The strongest shift in emphasis towards practical competences was declared by entrepreneurs from the production and service sectors, where 75% each owners indicated that in the era of AI, skills are more important than theoretical knowledge.

The “Under the magnifying glass” study was carried out by ICAN Institute on behalf of EFL SA with owners, co-owners and people responsible for finance in the SME segment from all over the country in July 2025, using the CATI method. A total of 600 interviews were carried out: 247 with representatives of micro-enterprises, 186 with representatives of small enterprises and 167 – with representatives of medium-sized enterprises. The study covered six industries: construction, trade, production, agriculture, transport and services. (PAP)

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