Jobs requiring AI skills command salaries 28% to 43% higher than comparable positions without AI requirements, according to a new study from labor market research firm Lightcast. The premium extends beyond tech roles into marketing, research, and other industries, signaling that AI competency has become a valuable differentiator across the modern job market.
What you should know: The salary boost varies based on the number of AI skills listed in job postings.
- Positions requiring just one AI skill offer average salaries 28% higher than those without AI requirements, translating to roughly $18,000 more per year.
- Jobs listing two or more AI skills command a 43% salary premium compared to non-AI roles.
- The researchers analyzed billions of job postings over 13 years and identified 300 AI skills, including AI ethics, governance, natural language processing, and robotics.
Beyond tech: More than half of AI-skilled job postings now come from outside traditional IT and computer science sectors.
- In the study’s analysis, 51% of job postings requiring AI skills were in non-tech industries, up from 44% in 2022 and 39% in 2019.
- Marketing, PR, science, and research roles are increasingly prioritizing AI capabilities alongside traditional tech positions.
- The industries least likely to seek AI skills include hospitality, food service, tourism, personal services, and transportation.
Industry-specific demands: Different sectors prioritize distinct AI competencies based on their operational needs.
- Transportation companies focus on autonomous driving expertise when hiring AI-skilled workers.
- Maintenance roles emphasize robotics experience as a key qualification.
- IT and computer science positions still show the highest overall demand for AI skills across the job market.
The competitive context: While established tech companies battle for AI talent to build artificial general intelligence, recent computer science graduates face employment challenges as AI tools automate entry-level tasks traditionally assigned to junior developers.
What experts recommend: Organizations must develop precision in identifying relevant AI skills rather than adopting broad philosophical approaches to AI hiring.
- “The solution requires precision, not philosophy,” the study authors write. “The organizations that master this transition—the educators and HR leaders that can identify which AI skills matter most for their context and deliver targeted training that creates measurable value—will lead their industries and avoid falling behind.”
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