Amidst a landscape of rapid technological progress, companies are increasingly seeking individuals proficient in artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate the transformative potential of generative AI tools and platforms.
Recent studies conducted by employment websites underscore this trend, shedding light on the evolving demands and priorities in the job market.
Upwork, a leading job listing site, has unveiled its latest study, delving into the skillsets pursued by job seekers and the corresponding preferences of companies amidst the fastest-growing skills category: generative AI. The findings reveal that 49 percent of hiring managers intend to onboard independent talent, while an equal percentage plans to recruit full-time employees, reflecting the significant impact of AI deployment.
The Upwork study unveils AI as the most rapidly expanding category on its platform in the first half of 2023. Job postings for generative AI escalated by over 1000 percent in the second quarter, compared to the conclusion of 2022, paralleled by a more than 1500 percent surge in related searches within the same timeframe.
The leading Generative AI skills documented in Upwork’s study exhibit substantial quarter-over-quarter growth (Q2 2023 vs. Q1 2023). These include Large Language Model (LLM), Generative AI, You Only Look Once (YOLO), Object Detection, Stable Diffusion, Prompt Engineering, ChatGPT, Azure OpenAI, AI Chatbot, and AI Text-to-Speech.
Further analysis delves into the top generative AI-related job hires, encompassing skills such as ChatGPT, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Tensorflow, Image Processing, Pytorch, AI Content Creation, Midjourney, AI Chatbot, LLM tuning, and Stable Diffusion.
Upwork’s evaluation of the most sought-after AI skills is based on a comprehensive examination of job postings and the skillsets of freelance job seekers. This includes an assessment of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, which has demonstrated exceptional prominence.
Kelly Monahan, Managing Director of Upwork’s Research Institute, explains that the assessment focused on hiring trends from January 1 to June 30, 2023, encompassing various activities, from hiring AI developers proficient in ChatGPT to ChatGPT writers and experts offering consultation on potential use cases.
The robust sentiment surrounding hiring trends, coupled with the heightened interest in generative AI, underscores businesses’ recognition of the potential unlocked by this dynamic technology. Enterprises are increasingly shifting their focus from individual generative AI tools toward comprehensive applications and services, spanning AI content creation, Azure OpenAI, and prompt engineering.
Monahan emphasizes the evolution of generative AI-related searches. Initially centered on single tools like ChatGPT, these inquiries have matured to explore the diverse applications and potential use cases of generative AI technologies, showcasing a growing understanding of its capabilities.
The study also points to a surge in LinkedIn job postings mentioning GPT or ChatGPT, indicating the profound impact of generative AI on reshaping skill requirements in workplaces worldwide. The rise in AI talent and skills is depicted as a significant trend since the inception of ChatGPT, underscoring its transformative potential.
Generative AI, distinguished by its capacity to produce text, images, and media, has surged in prominence over the past few years. Erick Brethenoux, Gartner’s Distinguished Vice President Analyst, outlines how AI has evolved, incorporating rule-based systems, natural language processing, and knowledge graphs into its framework. The deployment of AI can enhance decision support, expedite data analysis, and replace mundane tasks, freeing employees for more creative and critical endeavors.
Monahan underscores the importance of certification courses and online training opportunities offered by reputable platforms such as Coursera, Udemy, and industry-specific services like Microsoft and Azure. As professionals recognize the potential of AI-powered innovations, the transition from concerns about job displacement to opportunities for new AI-driven enterprises becomes increasingly apparent. The proliferation of AI courses, including 300 on LinkedIn Learning, stands as a testament to this transformative educational landscape.
