The startling success of the team behind DeepSeek, the Chinese artificial-intelligence startup that grabbed international headlines recently with its advanced AI capabilities, speaks directly to the critical importance of talent. And why every organization needs an AI-ready workforce.

For those who haven’t followed the DeepSeek saga, the shorthand version is this: A group of Chinese engineers, many with no more than a few years of experience, according to Wall Street Journal reporting, created a high-performing AI platform, purportedly faster, and at a fraction of the cost, than its better-known competitors. This sent shockwaves throughout the Big Tech community and sent competitor share prices into a sharp decline.

While there are still many unanswered questions about DeepSeek’s sudden rise as a major AI player, the story should raise concerns everywhere, because if the biggest names in artificial intelligence can be caught flat-footed, every organization is potentially at risk.

So, if you haven’t made AI a top priority—and with that comes the challenge of upskilling your workforce and making your people as comfortable with AI as they are with texting—there’s no time to lose.