Artificial intelligence is the hottest topics among many professionals, inside and outside of the tech industry. Leaders and professionals alike are interested to know how artificial intelligence can be used to eliminate inefficiencies and drive success within organizations.
As a result, tech employers are looking for candidates who show strong skills in artificial intelligence and automation. With AI jobs in high demand, understanding what skills and types of AI jobs are available can help ensure that you stay abreast of the fast-moving technological transformation.
Current Job Market Landscape for AI Jobs
The tech industry remains strong in the United States, with computer and mathematical occupations projected to grow the second fastest of any occupational group, at 12.9 percent over the next decade, according to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics). However, over recent years tech employment growth has slowed, going from a growth of 7.3% in 2022 to a growth of only 3.6% in 2023, which can reflect higher operating costs within organizations, labor and talent shortages, decreases in hiring, and the overall state of the economy. The outlook for 2025 is optimistic with early jobs reports already showing small growth in the sector.
There is an exception to this: AI jobs and the demand for skills in artificial intelligence and related fields has increased over recent years. CBRE found that AI’s share of total U.S. tech talent job postings has increased to 14.3% in June 2024, compared to 8.8% in 2019. This indicates a significant trend in tech employers hiring for AI jobs or for similar skill sets to maintain or gain a strong position with the revolutionary technology.
What Types of AI Jobs and Skills are In-Demand?
In its inaugural report, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium published that 92% of IT jobs will see a high or moderate transformation due to advances in AI. The biggest areas where this will most likely take affect are mid-level and entry-level tech jobs. This is because traditional tech and IT skills like data management, content creation, documentation maintenance, and basic programming will shift as AI can optimize these tasks.
As traditional tech and IT jobs adjust to make room for AI jobs, employers are looking for skills in areas such as AI ethics, responsible AI, rapid engineering, AI literacy, and large language model (LLM) architecture. The demand for AI software and hardware developers is expected to increase into 2025 and beyond as more and more companies inside and outside of the tech industry adopt artificial intelligence into their organizations.
Additionally, the rise in AI jobs will motivate current and prospective professionals to upskill. Upskilling is crucial in elevating and advancing job functions, and those who fail to do so may struggle to find a job or maintain their current one. Knowing how to ‘use’ or ‘infuse’ artificial intelligence can make for an attractive candidate, specifically in the tech industry, according to Forbes’ description of the AI revolution in the job market.
Where are the AI Jobs?
AI and jobs in AI seem to have graduated out of Silicon Valley and touched every corner of the country. The San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and New York Metro are the largest cluster for AI jobs, according to CBRE. While San Francisco still harbors the largest AI talent pool with over 61,000 AI jobs, Seattle and New Yorkare also wading into the pool. Seattle has roughly 35,000 AI jobs and New York is hovering over 27,000 jobs. Los Angeles/Orange County and Boston are closely behind, making up the top five markets for jobs in artificial intelligence.
Rising tech hubs like Charlotte, North Carolina are reporting a surge in AI-related roles. Business leaders in Atlanta suggest that AI skill demand is high in the area and that most jobs will be “connected” to AI in some fashion for the future.
Additionally, the demand for AI software and hardware developers has increased the overall tech wages in competitive markets. Tech industry wages are up 17% than the US average, with wage increases of about 12% year to year. This is an attractive outlook for aspiring professionals or professionals looking for a career change in artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence is a rapidly evolving technology that is transforming the way we work. AI jobs are increasingly important to employers, specifically in the tech industry. Aspiring and current professionals looking to gain a job in AI should consider enhancing their skills with AI knowledge to stand out as an attractive candidate in the eyes of a tech employer.
