Artificial intelligence or machine learning-related skill sets were referenced in 14% of all tech job postings in February 2024, up 5 percentage points from the previous year

Amidst continuous discussion and debate surrounding artificial intelligence's transformative impact on our lives and work, it is already fundamentally reshaping the tech job market. In an analysis of tech job posting data, Dice (a DHI Group, Inc. brand; NYSE: DHX), found that 14% of all tech job postings in February 2024 referenced skills related to artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML). This is up 5 percentage points from the previous year, when just 9% of tech job postings referenced AI or ML-related skills.

When looking at the total number of open AI / ML jobs, that increased 8.5% from the beginning of 2023 (56,018) to the beginning of 2024 (60,784). This surge in demand is further accentuated by the notable decline of 26% in overall tech job postings during the same period. These numbers exponentially speed up the learning curve for recruiters, talent acquisition leaders and organizations in understanding not just the basics of generative AI, but also the AI skills and roles their businesses need today and what they will need in the future.

“This is an exciting time to be in tech; in terms of AI’s magnitude, it’s on par with the dawn of the internet and the release of the first smartphones,” says Dice CEO Art Zeile. “Artificial intelligence is not a new phenomenon, but the demand for AI skills today is escalating across almost every sector. Generative AI is being integrated into almost every workflow, and CEOs are focused now on AI-driven efficiency. That just amplifies the need to hire and train those skilled tech professionals. Dice is proud to be an objective and helpful resource for talent acquisition leaders, recruiters and tech professionals as we address the impact AI will continue to have on tech careers and hiring."

Dice Provides Vital AI Resources for Recruiters and Tech Professionals

To help recruiters and tech professionals navigate the evolving landscape of AI-focused roles, Dice has curated two comprehensive guides to serve as a repository of knowledge, with resources, best practices and insights from industry experts. The Technical Recruiter's Guide to Building an AI Team emphasizes the importance of a collaborative approach between talent acquisition leaders, technical recruiters and tech leadership in identifying and attracting top AI talent. The Tech Professional's Guide to Navigating AI Jobs and Careers analyzes the most in-demand skills for AI roles and how to upskill technical and soft skills to be competitive in this job market.

The AI Hiring and Job Posting Landscape

Within a span of less than two years, tech professionals skilled in generative AI have become highly sought after. Not surprisingly, “artificial intelligence” has seen strong growth in job descriptions year over year; when comparing February 2024 to February 2023, AI has increased by 36%.

Salaries for AI and ML-related roles also show the impact generative AI has had in a short period of time, as these salaries have continued to grow during a time when the average tech salary has flattened. In its 2024 Tech Salary Report, Dice data showed the average salary for someone skilled in machine learning is $122,060 — almost 10% higher than the average tech salary of $111,193.

This trend is mirrored across various AI-related roles and skills, emphasizing the importance of that expertise in today's job market:

1. Data Science: $116,807 (5% higher than the average U.S. tech salary)
2. Machine Learning: $122,060 (10% higher than the average U.S. tech salary)
3. Software Engineer: $145,206 (31% higher than the average U.S. tech salary)
4. Data Engineer: $120,248 (8% higher than the average U.S. tech salary)
5. Solutions Architect: $157,768 (41% higher than the average U.S. tech salary)

Almost every industry sector — from retail to healthcare to manufacturing — is witnessing a surge in AI hiring. Companies like Deloitte, Accenture and KPMG are doubling down on AI projects, signaling a strategic shift towards prioritizing AI talent acquisition. “Any time there's a major shift in a technology in the U.S., corporate America generally wants to experiment with consultants before they bring those people onto their own payroll,” Zeile says. “They want to pilot and experiment to see what it means for their business model.”

And even amidst the backdrop of recent layoffs by Amazon, Google and Microsoft, these industry giants are among the top 15 companies hiring for AI talent right now — underscoring a concerted effort to prioritize AI initiatives.

Takeaways for Recruiters: Adapting Strategies to Win Top Talent

While AI is not as new as it may seem, it is still a recent technology that is rapidly advancing. As demand continues to increase, companies that need to fill AI roles will find fewer tech professionals with extensive experience on their resume. Here are some tips for recruiters to take the next steps and act on their AI/ML hiring strategies:

1. Prioritize skills-based hiring. Embracing a skills-based approach works especially well with tech roles because these professionals already have a culture that emphasizes skills over titles. By focusing on applicable skills over traditional metrics like education or experience, companies can expand their options and effectively recruit for top AI talent.
   
   
   
   
2. Understand core AI and ML skills and applications. One of the biggest challenges with AI hiring is that, outside of the specialized tech professionals who can build AI and machine learning models, there is a lot of gray area when it comes to titles, roles and skills. Not every tech professional is going to have the same AI skills, but for most, an understanding of data wrangling and preprocessing, algorithms, software engineering, machine learning frameworks or cloud computing are a great start.
   
   
   
   
3. Work with your tech leaders to recruit and upskill talent you already have. One way to build your AI team is by looking within your company first for the talented tech professionals who are willing to move and upskill in the AI space. Consider offering generative AI training programs to educate your entire workforce on the fundamentals of AI, and use this as the first step to identifying potential candidates who show an aptitude for AI concepts.

Takeaways for Tech Professionals: Charting a Path in the AI Era

Navigating career development in a dynamic field like artificial intelligence and machine learning can be daunting for tech professionals. However, AI builds upon existing skills and leverages familiar technologies, offering exciting opportunities for growth. Here are key insights for tech professionals ready to start on the AI upskilling journey:

1. Identify your familiarity with the core AI competencies and know your frameworks. As tech professionals use AI to handle low-level tasks, they can spend their time focused on mastering higher-level disciplines and competencies. Frameworks act as pre-assembled toolkits, offering tech professionals essential building blocks to streamline their AI development processes. There is a huge variety in the type of frameworks, but there are many transferrable skills between them.
   
   
   
   
2. Improve your soft skills. Improving soft skills makes tech professionals more valuable to their current and future employers — those can never be replaced by AI. Innovation and creativity, communication, and providing insight to leadership are key soft skills to focus on.
   
   
   
   
3. Continue AI education with courses and certifications. AI is evolving quickly, and today’s landscape will quickly be a thing of the past as new language models, tools, and platforms are created. Online or in-person courses dedicated to foundational AI disciplines are great for tech professionals ready to upskill. Courses that offer a final test allow tech professionals to demonstrate their understanding and expertise to current and future employers.

Dice's Commitment to Empowering Recruiters and Tech Professionals

As the demand for AI-skilled tech talent continues to soar, Dice remains steadfast in its commitment to facilitating meaningful connections between employers and tech professionals. The company’s continued reporting on the latest trends and developments in AI will empower recruiters and tech professionals to make informed decisions in the expanding field. Additionally, Dice’s AI Careers and Hiring Center sections serve to connect tech professionals with career-advancing opportunities, and to help companies succeed with their AI-driven innovation.

Methodology

To present the insights in this report, Dice used job posting data provided by Dice’s partner, Lightcast, which has a database of more than 1 billion current and historical job postings worldwide. Dice pulled data on March 20, 2024, and analyzed tech job postings in the U.S. using Lightcast’s skills category taxonomy specific to “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)” and “Natural Language Processing (NLP)”. The information in this report is a snapshot of tech job posting data as of March 20, 2024, and backward revisions to prior month’s data may occur from the sources used in this report.

About Dice

Dice is a leading tech career hub connecting employers with skilled technology professionals and providing tech professionals with career opportunities, data, insights and advice. Established in 1990, Dice began as one of the first career sites and today provides a comprehensive suite of recruiting solutions, empowering companies and recruiters to make informed hiring decisions. Dice serves multiple markets throughout North America. Dice is a DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE:DHX) brand.

About DHI Group, Inc.

DHI Group, Inc (NYSE: DHX) is a provider of AI-powered career marketplaces that focus on technology roles. DHI’s two brands, Dice and ClearanceJobs, enable recruiters and hiring managers to efficiently search for and connect with highly skilled technology professionals based on the skills requested. The Company’s patented algorithm manages over 100,000 unique technology skills. Additionally, our marketplaces allow tech professionals to find their ideal next career opportunity, with relevant advice and personalized insights. Learn more at www.dhigroupinc.com.

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