According to data from LinkedIn, 1.3 million new AI-related vacancies have appeared worldwide over the past two years. Demand is growing especially fast for AI engineers, analysts, data annotation specialists and solutions integration specialists. The geography of these vacancies ranges from the United States and Canada to India and the UAE, where growth reaches up to 40%. At the same time, interest in AI training has doubled. LinkedIn also records a 70% increase in vacancies requiring AI skills.
The labor market is also undergoing a cultural shift. Employers are increasingly looking for specialists with strong soft skills: flexibility, empathy, the ability to work in a team and adapt. This is giving rise to so-called new-collar professionals — specialists who combine digital literacy with developed practical thinking and emotional intelligence.
This is happening against the backdrop of an overall 20% decline in global hiring compared with pre-pandemic levels — analysts say the reason is not AI, but economic instability and changing business strategies. According to surveys, 60% of Gen Z respondents across developed countries consider new professions more promising than the classic corporate ladder. For business, this is a signal: it is time to invest in training, change hiring approaches and stop fearing AI — it does not take jobs away, but shapes a new reality.
