LinkedIn has finalized and published its 2026 Jobs on the Rise labor analysis, and official sources confirmed the findings show a decisive shift toward artificial intelligence-related roles as the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. labor market, reflecting actual movement in job transitions rather than predictive hiring intent. The platform reported that AI engineers, AI consultants and strategists, AI and machine learning researchers, and data annotators recorded the strongest growth in roles between 2023 and 2025, highlighting how organizations are realigning talent strategies around AI deployment and oversight at scale.
In their own words:
Navigating today’s job market requires adapting faster than ever. AI is reshaping every stage of the employment journey — and many workers are trying to figure out how to stay ahead. More than half of professionals (56%) plan to job-hunt this year, yet 76% say they don’t feel prepared, according to recent LinkedIn research.
LinkedIn’s data methodology offers a more reliable signal of labor demand than vacancy postings alone, capturing the occupational shifts already underway. In contrast to surveys and forecasts, this approach shows where professionals are actually being hired and promoted, rather than where employers intend to hire.
LinkedIn’s data shows that while AI-centric roles top the growth charts, growth also spans non-technical domains including healthcare reimbursement specialists, new home sales specialists, advertising and sales roles, and independent consultants. These trends demonstrate how parallel demand exists for operational continuity and revenue generation even as AI transformation accelerates.
Complementary labor research confirms that demand for AI-related competencies such as machine learning, model evaluation, and systems integration continues to expand, with projected growth of up to 40% for AI and ML engineers by 2027 and corresponding salary premiums for specialized skills.
LinkedIn
Yet labor market sentiment remains mixed. Separate research indicates that approximately 80% of workers feel unprepared for an AI-driven job market, illustrating heightened uncertainty even as opportunities emerge.
