AI jobs market heats up, listings and searches on the rise

The number of artificial intelligence related jobs listed on Australian jobsite Indeed has doubled since 2015, according to data released today by the company.

Postings which referred to ‘artificial intelligence’ and ‘machine learning’ in the job description were also 50 per cent more numerous in January this year than January 2017, the analysis found.

“Advances in technology and artificial intelligence have stoked fears of large-scale job losses. While it is certainly true that new technologies will destroy some jobs, they will also create new jobs and pave the way for cutting-edge industries,” said Indeed economist Callam Pickering.

“New AI technologies require highly skilled workers who can develop and maintain complex systems and applications. Using Indeed’s data on job postings and job search activity, we can observe the emergence of this sector in real-time.”

No caption

The most common job title including references to AI was found to be data scientist, at both senior and junior levels.

Data scientists are in huge demand in Australia and globally, and they are able to command high salaries compared to predictive analytics professionals, even at the entry level.

It has been dubbed “TheSexiest Job of the 21st Century”which has led some in the sector to fear it is becoming “flooded with fakes”.

“The role of data scientists is much broader than simply creating AI but they play a pivotal role in creating the algorithms that teach machines how to use and interpret data. Every day we are dealing with the end result of their work, whether it be via recommendations on Amazon, what we see on social media, or even the news that we consume,” Pickering added.

Back track

The number of AI-related posts per million listings in Australia appears to be tracking a year behind the US and UK – although ahead of Canada.

“However, the vast increase in the number of AI-related job opportunities suggests that the Australian market is playing catch-up,” Pickering said.

No caption

Job seekers are increasingly keen on finding work within AI, the data suggests: in 2017, search activity in AI-related jobs, per million searches, tripled compared with 2015. Around 25 per cent of searches on AI-related jobs come from overseas.

KPMG, Boral, Amazon.com, EY, CSIRO and Honeywell have all posted job listings for roles requiring artificial intelligence experience in the past week.

Many companies are also tapping universities for AI skilled candidates.

“We get employers coming to us and saying they could employ all of our grad class, and that’s just one company,” said Professor of AI at UNSW, Toby Walsh speaking to Computerworld last year.

“There has to be more people and more understanding that these are the jobs of the future and there’s plenty of opportunity for people to come in. It’s not enough to satisfy demand.”