As AI replaces tech roles, salaries in other sectors receive $18,000 boost

Job listings that mention artificial intelligence (AI) skills offer salaries that are, on average, 28% higher, which translates to approximately $18,000 more per year, compared to roles without such requirements, according to a report by market intelligence firm Lightcast.

Interestingly, the data challenges the common belief that AI adoption is mostly confined to the tech industry. As of 2024, more than half (51%) of all AI-related job postings are now in non-tech sectors, marking a shift in how AI is impacting the broader labour market. Since 2022, generative AI (GenAI) roles in industries outside traditional tech have surged by 800%.

Meanwhile, the share of AI-focussed job postings in IT and computer science has declined from 61% in 2019 to 49% in 2024, indicating a shrinking demand for AI skills in core tech roles as many roles become automated.


This trend has deep economic implications. While certain highly automatable tech jobs face the risk of being replaced, many non-technical professionals are now seeing new career paths and better wages.

AI skill demand across five key sectors

The Lightcast report highlights notable growth in AI skill requirements across five major career domains:

Marketing and PR: 8% of all job listings in this field now mention AI skill requirements, with annual growth hitting 50%. Demand is particularly high for SEO specialists, where 19% of postings require at least one AI skill, and 8% list multiple AI capabilities.

Human resources: Leading all sectors, HR has seen a 66% year-on-year (YoY) growth. Talent acquisition and recruiting managers are leading adopters, with 3.9% of roles requiring one AI skill and 0.6% needing more than one.

Finance: Though still early in adoption, demand is rapidly rising, with 40% annual growth. Currently, only 1.3% of finance roles mention AI, but financial quantitative analysts are in the lead, with 12.6% of postings requiring a single AI skill and 13.3% needing multiple skills.

Science and research: A steady 9% annual growth shows a more established use of AI and not an explosive one. Around 6% of science and research postings now require AI skills. Researchers and research associates are at the forefront, with 5.7% requiring a single skill and 8.2% demanding multiple skills.

Education and training: This sector is seeing 18% annual growth in AI-related roles, though adoption remains low overall. Only 1.3% of job postings in education mention AI skills. Curriculum designers lead the way, with 3.7% of roles requiring one AI skill and 1.8% requiring multiple skills.