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Data Brief

U.S. Demand for AI-Related Talent Part II: Degree Majors and Skills Assessment

Autumn Toney

and Melissa Flagg

September 2020

Future U.S. competitiveness in artificial intelligence will require a robust AI workforce. This data brief analyzes market demand for AI-related jobs to determine the skills necessary in the field. It concerns jobs considered both “core AI” and “AI-adjacent.”

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In our previous brief, “U.S. Demand for AI-Related Talent,”1 we found wide-ranging demand for a workforce capable not only of creating, but also of integrating and applying the incredible potential of artificial intelligence. Our analysis of job postings in the United States from 2010 to 2019 highlighted the geographic spread, degree level requirements, and sectoral application of AI-related jobs.2 Notably, the majority of AI-related job postings—roughly 80 percent—required a bachelor’s degree at minimum, regardless of the year, location, or sector. The consistency of degree requirements led to more detailed questions about the specific majors requested in job postings, as well as the skills accompanying them. 

Given the steady growth and diversification of AI-related jobs across the United States,3 identifying the degree majors and skills sought by employers is important for individuals looking to fill these positions. A 2019 Gartner report cited the lack of skills for AI-related talent as a major concern of employers looking to implement more AI solutions in their organizations.4 Because AI-related jobs do not fall under one specific category or definition,5 acquiring the necessary skills in addition to holding a four-year degree improves a job candidate’s chance of being hired. 

In this brief, we dive deeper into Burning Glass job posting data,6 using the predefined categories of core AI and AI-adjacent to distinguish between jobs directly implementing AI and those that are AI-enabled (see Appendix). Our motivation for using these categories and associated caveats are found in our first brief.

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U.S. Demand for AI-Related Talent Part II
  1. Autumn Toney and Melissa Flagg, “U.S. Demand for AI-Related Talent,” August 2020. https://cset.georgetown.edu/research/u-s-demand-for-ai-related-talent/.
  2. Toney and Flagg, “U.S. Demand for AI-Related Talent.”
  3. Gartner TalentNeuron™, “Future-Proof Your Talent Strategy,” 2018. https://www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/research/talentneuron/future-proof-yourtalent-strategy.
  4. Gartner Press Release, “Gartner Survey Reveals Leading Organizations Expect to Double the Number of AI Projects In Place Within the Next Year,” July 2019. https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2019-07-15-gartner-surveyreveals-leading-organizations-expect-t.
  5. Albert Christopher, “How To Start a Career In Artificial Intelligence IN 2020? A Step by Step Guide,” March 2019. https://medium.com/@albertchristopherr/how-to-start-acareer-in-artificial-intelligence-in-2019-a-step-by-step-guide-b18ad32d1b1f.
  6. Burning Glass Technologies, 2020. https://www.burning-glass.com/about.