Overview
- Artificial intelligence engineer ranks as the fastest‑growing role across multiple markets, with adjacent jobs such as AI consultants/strategists, data annotators, and AI/ML researchers also climbing, while non‑tech roles like new home sales and healthcare reimbursement specialists make the lists.
- LinkedIn’s data and surveys show job hunting has become tougher, with applicants per opening more than doubling since early 2022 and hiring still below pre‑pandemic levels, as a large majority of job seekers report feeling unprepared for a move in 2026.
- Two‑thirds of recruiters say finding qualified candidates is harder, and most plan to expand use of AI in 2026 for sourcing and prescreening, even as many applicants plan to use AI tools to prepare and present their skills more effectively.
- India’s snapshot underscores the trend, with 84% feeling unprepared and 72% looking to switch roles in 2026, 94% planning to use AI in their search, and most recruiters reporting greater difficulty locating the right skills.
- Entrepreneurship and skills‑first hiring are gaining traction, as the ‘founder’ title appears on growth lists and surges on profiles and employers emphasize competency and AI literacy over traditional credentials.