AI Job Market Trends for September 2024

As the AI revolution continues to reshape industries globally, Aura is at the forefront, providing cutting-edge insights into the AI job market.

With advancements in machine learning, generative AI tools, and other AI technologies, the demand for AI talent is booming across sectors. Thanks to Aura's job market data, businesses and investors can clearly view these shifts, identifying new opportunities and challenges.

Whether job seekers are breaking into AI-related roles or companies closing critical AI skill gaps, Aura's data-driven insights pave the way for smarter, more strategic decisions.

Let's jump into September's AI Job Market Trend Report, with data sourced and updated through the end of August, 2024. 

Understanding the AI Job Market

The AI job market is a rapidly evolving sector transforming businesses' operations and creating new job opportunities for job seekers. As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to advance, the demand for skilled professionals who can develop, implement, and maintain AI systems is rising.

This burgeoning field is reshaping traditional job roles and creating entirely new career paths. This means many opportunities for job seekers to engage with cutting-edge technologies and contribute to innovative projects that drive business success.

AI Job Market Postings by State

The AI job market has thrived across the United States throughout the year, with job growth through every state. According to recent data, California, New York, Texas, Washington, and Massachusetts are the top five states with the most AI job postings. Though this month, we did see declines in the absolute number of new job postings, this roughly mirrors a decline in overall hiring and in tech jobs.

Graph - Aura's Workforce Data Showing AI Job Growth by State

California, in particular, stands out with its Silicon Valley hub, while New York and Massachusetts boast strong academic and research communities. Texas and Washington also play significant roles, with burgeoning tech scenes and many AI startups.

We analyzed a number of employers, as well, to find the most AI-realted hiring activity. Major players like Outlier AI, Amazon, Accenture, and Google were at the forefront through August. From Apple to TikTok, tech businesses are recognizing the critical importance of AI talent, while we also saw consulting firms like Ernst & Young and Deloitte investing heavily in AI capabilities to stay competitive.

Job Growth and Key Generative AI Tools Trends

YTD 2024, AI job postings showed significant fluctuation, with the highest number of new AI jobs appearing in June, according to Aura's data. By August 2024, there was a dip in AI job postings, which may reflect an overall dip in hiring and a more challenging environment. A key takeaway is the consistent rise in the proportion of AI jobs relative to total software jobs, reaching 5.98% in May before stabilizing at 5.4% in August.

Graph - Aura Data on Overall AI Job Trends

The growth in AI job postings throughout the year corresponds with the increasing reliance on AI and automated systems to enhance business efficiency, which we saw skills growth in. Many organizations are turning to AI professionals like machine learning engineers and AI developers to lead projects that automate routine tasks that previously required manual intervention. According to Aura's workforce data, the demand has been mostly fueled by industries such as information technology, computer software, and financial services, which are at the forefront of AI adoption.

Growth in Remote AI Jobs

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards remote work jobs, and the AI job market is no exception. With the advancement of AI technologies, many AI jobs can now be performed remotely, and companies are increasingly open to hiring remote workers.

Graph - Aura's Remote Working Data

In fact, while we can see that overall remote jobs comprised about 6% of total job postings in our September reports, remote AI jobs are double that proportion, making up 12% of total AI job postings, offering job seekers more flexibility and opportunities to work from anywhere. This trend not only broadens the talent pool for employers but also allows professionals to balance their work and personal lives more effectively, making remote AI roles highly attractive.

The Key AI Job Titles That We Found

Among the top AI-related jobs that Aura found from analyzing its data set were roles such as Machine Learning Engineer, AI Engineer, and Computer Vision Engineer, indicating that they are in high demand. These positions typically involve maintaining and optimizing AI systems, leveraging deep learning models, and solving complex problems with data analysis and machine learning techniques. There were also many jobs involving training AI data, roles which are not particularly technical.

As AI becomes more integrated into business processes, AI professionals are expected to possess a deep understanding of AI tools like natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, and data manipulation. But, the need for AI skills goes beyond just engineering. Companies are also seeking legal professionals, data scientists, and AI ethicists to help manage the broader impacts of AI adoption. These roles ensure that AI-generated content, automated systems, and deep learning models are used ethically and responsibly, addressing concerns around job displacement and AI-generated problems.

Emerging AI Roles

• AI Ethicist: Focused on ensuring that AI systems are created and used responsibly, addressing critical issues like bias, privacy, and fairness, and setting ethical standards for the future of AI.
• AI Research Scientist: Pioneers in AI innovation, these experts delve deep into machine learning and natural language processing, constantly pushing the boundaries of what AI can accomplish.
• AI Engineer: At the core of AI development, these engineers design, build, and implement AI-powered systems like chatbots and virtual assistants, ensuring seamless and efficient performance.
• AI Data Analyst: These professionals play a pivotal role in data-driven strategies. They analyze and interpret vast amounts of data, shaping how AI technologies are developed and fine-tuned for maximum impact.

These evolving roles require a blend of technical prowess, creativity, and business insight and are highly sought after across a range of industries. As the AI landscape continues to grow, professionals in these roles will drive innovation, shape the future of work, and transform how businesses operate.

AI's Impact on the Job Market and Industries

As AI continues to reshape industries, some sectors are experiencing higher job growth in AI-related roles. Information technology, biotech, staffing and recruiting, and consumer electronics are just a few industries that Aura saw having a significant increase in AI jobs this month. These industries leverage AI for everything from customer inquiries to data collection, resulting in more job opportunities for AI professionals.

The AI sector also sees increasing interest from big tech companies, which continue investing in AI research and software development, as well as acquiring talent by swallowing up AI startups. These companies are at the forefront of integrating AI technologies into their systems to automate routine tasks and enhance problem-solving capabilities. This investment drives the need for AI engineers, AI ethicists, and data scientists capable of managing large-scale AI implementations.

Skills Development and Lifelong Learning

In this evolving AI landscape, job seekers must focus on acquiring in-demand skills to remain competitive. Skills development in AI tools, machine learning techniques, and data science is essential. Lifelong learning and continuous learning are becoming integral to career development as the global economy increasingly relies on AI systems requiring specialized knowledge.

For instance, professionals looking to maintain a competitive edge in the labor market need to focus on critical and analytical thinking and learn how to write code for AI applications. Additionally, legal services and AI-related ethical considerations will continue to be areas of growth as AI becomes more pervasive in society.

AI Job Market: Opportunities and Challenges

The AI job market presents a mix of opportunities and challenges. While AI creates job demand across multiple industries, the automation of certain roles raises concerns about job displacement. Tech companies and industries heavily reliant on human intelligence seek to balance leveraging AI’s potential and mitigating its impact on workers.

With the growing use of generative AI and AI technologies that mimic tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as customer service, copywriting, and legal services, there are still areas where human expertise remains irreplaceable - especially in jobs that require physical or virtual human interaction. AI professionals will continue to play a crucial role in guiding the ethical use of these technologies, ensuring that AI contributes positively to society without exacerbating inequalities or creating job losses.

As AI continues to transform the job market, the challenge lies in ensuring that talent needs are met, while supporting skills development and preparing the workforce for the future. The future of AI jobs holds great potential, but it requires adaptability, problem-solving skills, and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Aura's Role in Understanding the AI Job Market

At Aura, we provide businesses and investors insights into the rapidly evolving AI job market. As machine learning, data science, and AI technologies expand across industries, the demand for a skilled workforce transforms companies' operations and investments.

Aura's workforce intelligence platform delivers the data needed to understand trends in AI talent demand, helping organizations make informed decisions on strategic investments, market positioning, and operational planning. As the AI ecosystem grows and the technology matures, Aura enables companies and investors to anticipate changes, evaluate market opportunities, and capitalize on the potential of AI-driven growth in the global economy.