Building the Future: Addressing the Need for AI Global Talent in the United States

Attracting global talent will be key to maintaining US leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI). President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders aim to cut through barriers to accelerate AI development and amplify foreign investment to the United States to keep the nation at the forefront of this critical technology.

Obtaining the Best Global Talent

Over the past few weeks, the Trump Administration has committed to doubling AI research investment, establishing the first-ever national AI research institute, and strengthening US leadership in AI technical standards. In addition, the Administration highlighted the importance of international collaboration, announcing significant projects by domestic and global investors in AI infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing facilities, and an increased focus on making powerful AI chips. These exemplify how the United States will leverage partnerships from around the world to achieve its technological priorities with the White House creating a “fast-track” process to facilitate increased foreign investment. According to the President, investment in the US economy from allies and partners supports the national interest.

The success of these initiatives will depend on the United States’s ability to attract and retain strategic partners, AI researchers, technologists, and energy and power experts. The President expects these AI projects to create over 100,000 jobs. Given the global reach and international investors involved, a significant portion of these positions are likely to be filled by global professionals with highly-specialized expertise.

Identifying and acquiring the necessary talent into the United States will require a carefully developed and executed strategy, especially with the recent tightening and enforcement of US immigration laws. On January 14, the White House published an “AI Talent Report” describing the channels through which workers can enter or exit the AI sector, and found that the demand for AI talent in the United States appears to be growing at a faster rate than the supply. The data from the report  highlights that one of the primary ways to meet the demand is to increase the number of foreign researchers and AI professionals that work in the United States.

Employer Planning for AI Talent Retention

With this in mind, employers in this space must consider the following critical issues:

1. The world’s top AI investors, leaders, researchers, and innovators are likely to continue to be drawn to the United States. However, without an effective strategy to attract and retain talent, companies will increasingly struggle to secure the talent and connections they need to remain competitive.

2. The AI sector faces several significant obstacles in hiring and relocating top professionals, including:

• Complex visa and immigration requirements which slow down the recruitment and hiring processes.
• Regulatory and policy uncertainties around work authorization.
• Employee retention concerns, as AI talent is highly sought after by a range of industries.

These challenges require careful legal and strategic planning. Companies must consider these issues and incorporate talent acquisition into their business development roadmaps to avoid regulatory risk and delays in onboarding.

3. Attracting AI professionals is only half the battle—keeping them engaged and invested in long-term innovation is equally critical. In this environment, companies can improve retention by:

• Ensuring a seamless international work experience by implementing a well-considered strategy to ease cross-border movement of critical talent,
• Creating strategic partnerships with legal advisors to help employees and their families navigate complex visa and relocation issues, and
• Providing a clear path for career growth, with consideration of short- and long-term opportunities for employees.

A well-structured talent mobility strategy streamlines recruitment and hiring while enhancing a company’s appeal to top talent by reducing challenges in their career transitions.

4. Because the global AI race is deeply intertwined with politics, organizations should be prepared to adapt to shifting policies. Governments are increasingly scrutinizing AI research, foreign talent inflows, and intellectual property transfers. Some regions are tightening restrictions, while others are positioning themselves as technology hubs to attract top professionals. For companies, this also means staying ahead of changes and ensuring compliance with rapidly evolving work authorization laws.

In a world where top technology talent continues to flow to the United States, having a well-designed talent mobility strategy is essential. The organizations that succeed will not just be those with the best algorithms or data centers—they will be those with the best people.