More companies are embracing generative artificial intelligence as a part of their road map, and the need for experts to help build that technology is growing exponentially. New data from job posting service, Indeed, shows just how hungry corporate America is for AI workers.
In the past year, Indeed has seen a tenfold increase in the number of generative AI job postings, the company reported Wednesday. Over the past two years, from April 2022 to April 2024, Indeed saw a 75-times increase in generative AI job postings.
Despite those substantial bumps, AI-related jobs still make up a miniscule number of the total listings on Indeed. As of the end of April, they constituted just 0.12% of all global job postings. Still, that’s a big jump from 0.002% two years ago and underscores the rapid evolution of the industry.
In the U.S., AI jobs make up just shy of 2% of all postings.
For job seekers, that demand could mean higher salaries in a field where the average paycheck is already significantly higher than in many other occupations. A report last November found AI-related jobs offer salaries that are more than 77% higher than other fields. Some positions start with compensation that’s as high as $450,000 per year.
Some opportunities, such as an AI documentation writer, project manager, and ethicist do not require a computer science degree. That said, computer scientists are the most in demand. Nearly 30% of the jobs in that field last year were AI-related.
A study in March by freelance talent platform Upwork found that data science and analytics were the fastest growing work categories among employers, with particular demand for machine learning skills, along with data visualization, data extraction, and data engineering.
The fastest-growing skillset in the overall market, though, was generative AI modeling, which centers around building and training models used in generative AI. Indeed’s data did not break out which jobs were most popular among companies currently hiring for generative AI-themed jobs. The company has previously reported, however, that mathematics and tech backgrounds are the most in demand for AI positions.
The spike in AI positions follows something of a slowdown in hiring in the back half of last year, which came amid an overall slowdown in tech hiring both in the U.S. and other countries.
Thinking of applying for one of those jobs? AI experience is the best ability to have on your résumé, of course, but if you lack that, experts say recruiters are also looking for soft skills, including curiosity and optimism, as the departments heading up these efforts typically push boundaries and hope to avoid people who will point out the hurdles or challenges they might face.
Other recruiters look for some exceptional skill in any field, while some look at things like a candidate’s career progression (and how quickly they’ve climbed the ranks) and whether they’ve been hosted by leading conferences.
A candidate who’s able to adapt quickly and has a hunger to learn could find themselves with multiple offers as the corporate feeding frenzy continues.
