Adoption of AI skills is surging, but the need for other skills is not going away, according to a new report.
Demand for AI-related skills, such as the use of AI in creative work and analytical work, more than doubled last year, with other in-demand skills growing at 23%, according to a new report from Upwork, a marketplace for freelancers and contractors.
Here are the skills that have grown rapidly on the platform over the past year:
AI video generation and editing (for design and creative work): +329% AI integration (for coding and web development work): +178% AI data annotation and labeling (for data science and analytics work): +154% E-commerce management (for customer service and administrative support work): +130% AI image generation and editing (for design and creative work): +95%
“AI is embedded in everything,” including technical, creative, operational, and other skills, said Gabby Barak, lead researcher on the Upwork report.
But AI won’t eliminate the demand for other long-standing skills.
The skills that companies invest in the most vary across six broad job categories defined by Upwork. It is as follows:
Accounting, Full Stack Development for Accounting and Consulting Jobs, Virtual Assistant for Coding and Web Development Jobs, Data Analytics for Customer Service and Administrative Support Jobs, Graphic Design for Data Science and Analytics Jobs, Social Media Marketing for Design and Creative Jobs, for Sales and Marketing Jobs.
“We’re seeing that the skillset for applying AI to these existing areas is really in demand,” Burlacu says.
Hiring for “sounds like AI can do” skills like video editing, image editing, illustration, etc. is not slowing down, even as today’s companies increasingly seek out talent who know how to perform these functions using AI tools.
“I think the traditional thinking is, ‘You can create a logo in ChatGPT in no time,'” Burlacu says. But logo design and illustration remained the most in-demand skills for companies hiring via Upwork last year.
Beyond AI, companies are looking for creativity and talent
Other data shows that companies are focusing on recruiting beyond AI knowledge, focusing on “human skills and hiring skilled talent,” Burlak said.
About half of business leaders said they would pay a premium to candidates who demonstrate creativity and innovation, according to an October survey of 349 managers by Upwork.
“The continued demand for human talent is a recognition that AI cannot run without human expertise, judgment, and creativity,” Burlacu says. “AI output doesn’t really do much.”
She encourages workers who are struggling to understand the impact of AI on their jobs to “not abandon the expertise that you have or the areas that you work in, but rather really upskill in ways that can help AI deliver that job differently and better.” “That’s what business leaders really want.”
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