Most requested AI skills in job postings
Key facts
- #1 AI tools in daily work, Using AI in your work: 5.6%
- #2 AI workflow automation, Using AI in your work: 3.1%
- #3 LLM application engineering, Building AI systems: 2.5%
- 24 skills ranked across all job families
- Data as of November 2026
- 1AI tools in daily work Using AI in your work5.6%
- 2AI workflow automation Using AI in your work3.1%
- 3LLM application engineering Building AI systems2.5%
- 4Machine learning engineering Building AI systems1.4%
- 5Model training and deep learning Building AI systems1.3%
- 6AI coding assistants Using AI in your work1.2%
- 7AI governance and risk Leading AI1.1%
- 8MLOps Building AI systems1.1%
- 9Gen-AI assistants (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude) Using AI in your work0.97%
- 10AI strategy and use cases Leading AI0.86%
What stands out
- The lead is wide: AI tools in daily work (5.6%) is well clear of AI strategy and use cases at #10 (0.86%).
- AI tools in daily work is the largest market in the top ten, with 19,938 openings behind its figure.
- Skills with fewer than 30 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
The top 25
- 1
AI tools in daily work Using AI in your work
5.6%
- Openings naming it
- 19,938
- Median posted pay with it
- $180k
- Pay against all openings
- +20%
Based on 19,938 openings.
- 2
AI workflow automation Using AI in your work
3.1%
- Openings naming it
- 10,881
- Median posted pay with it
- $203k
- Pay against all openings
- +35%
Based on 10,881 openings.
- 3
LLM application engineering Building AI systems
2.5%
- Openings naming it
- 8,707
- Median posted pay with it
- $210k
- Pay against all openings
- +40%
Based on 8,707 openings.
- 4
Machine learning engineering Building AI systems
1.4%
- Openings naming it
- 5,068
- Median posted pay with it
- $215k
- Pay against all openings
- +43%
Based on 5,068 openings.
- 5
Model training and deep learning Building AI systems
1.3%
- Openings naming it
- 4,739
- Median posted pay with it
- $223k
- Pay against all openings
- +48%
Based on 4,739 openings.
- 6
AI coding assistants Using AI in your work
1.2%
- Openings naming it
- 4,367
- Median posted pay with it
- $200k
- Pay against all openings
- +33%
Based on 4,367 openings.
- 7
AI governance and risk Leading AI
1.1%
- Openings naming it
- 3,946
- Median posted pay with it
- $206k
- Pay against all openings
- +38%
Based on 3,946 openings.
- 8
MLOps Building AI systems
1.1%
- Openings naming it
- 3,911
- Median posted pay with it
- $216k
- Pay against all openings
- +44%
Based on 3,911 openings.
- 9
Gen-AI assistants (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude) Using AI in your work
0.97%
- Openings naming it
- 3,438
- Median posted pay with it
- $175k
- Pay against all openings
- +17%
Based on 3,438 openings.
- 10
AI strategy and use cases Leading AI
0.86%
- Openings naming it
- 3,063
- Median posted pay with it
- $214k
- Pay against all openings
- +43%
Based on 3,063 openings.
- 11
AI adoption and change management Leading AI
0.81%
- Openings naming it
- 2,875
- Median posted pay with it
- $210k
- Pay against all openings
- +40%
Based on 2,875 openings.
- 12
RAG and vector search Building AI systems
0.78%
- Openings naming it
- 2,776
- Median posted pay with it
- $203k
- Pay against all openings
- +35%
Based on 2,776 openings.
- 13
Responsible AI Leading AI
0.69%
- Openings naming it
- 2,456
- Median posted pay with it
- $193k
- Pay against all openings
- +29%
Based on 2,456 openings.
- 14
AI evaluation and guardrails Building AI systems
0.67%
- Openings naming it
- 2,388
- Median posted pay with it
- $220k
- Pay against all openings
- +46%
Based on 2,388 openings.
- 15
ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) Building AI systems
0.65%
- Openings naming it
- 2,308
- Median posted pay with it
- $224k
- Pay against all openings
- +49%
Based on 2,308 openings.
- 16
Prompt design Using AI in your work
0.51%
- Openings naming it
- 1,811
- Median posted pay with it
- $198k
- Pay against all openings
- +32%
Based on 1,811 openings.
- 17
AI product management Leading AI
0.41%
- Openings naming it
- 1,447
- Median posted pay with it
- $215k
- Pay against all openings
- +43%
Based on 1,447 openings.
- 18
GPU and CUDA Building AI systems
0.38%
- Openings naming it
- 1,334
- Median posted pay with it
- $240k
- Pay against all openings
- +60%
Based on 1,334 openings.
- 19
AI-enabled analytics Using AI in your work
0.36%
- Openings naming it
- 1,269
- Median posted pay with it
- $178k
- Pay against all openings
- +18%
Based on 1,269 openings.
- 20
Automation platforms (Zapier, n8n, Power Automate) Using AI in your work
0.33%
- Openings naming it
- 1,178
- Median posted pay with it
- $168k
- Pay against all openings
- +12%
Based on 1,178 openings.
- 21
Gen-AI content tools Using AI in your work
0.25%
- Openings naming it
- 883
- Median posted pay with it
- $170k
- Pay against all openings
- +13%
Based on 883 openings.
- 22
Model fine-tuning Building AI systems
0.21%
- Openings naming it
- 758
- Median posted pay with it
- $238k
- Pay against all openings
- +58%
Based on 758 openings.
- 23
Leading AI teams Leading AI
0.20%
- Openings naming it
- 700
- Median posted pay with it
- $242k
- Pay against all openings
- +61%
Based on 700 openings.
- 24
AI in business apps (Agentforce, Now Assist) Using AI in your work
0.19%
- Openings naming it
- 690
- Median posted pay with it
- $180k
- Pay against all openings
- +20%
Based on 690 openings.
Full ranking
All 24 skills that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | Skill | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AI tools in daily work Using AI in your work | 5.6% | 19,938 |
| 2 | AI workflow automation Using AI in your work | 3.1% | 10,881 |
| 3 | LLM application engineering Building AI systems | 2.5% | 8,707 |
| 4 | Machine learning engineering Building AI systems | 1.4% | 5,068 |
| 5 | Model training and deep learning Building AI systems | 1.3% | 4,739 |
| 6 | AI coding assistants Using AI in your work | 1.2% | 4,367 |
| 7 | AI governance and risk Leading AI | 1.1% | 3,946 |
| 8 | MLOps Building AI systems | 1.1% | 3,911 |
| 9 | Gen-AI assistants (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude) Using AI in your work | 0.97% | 3,438 |
| 10 | AI strategy and use cases Leading AI | 0.86% | 3,063 |
| 11 | AI adoption and change management Leading AI | 0.81% | 2,875 |
| 12 | RAG and vector search Building AI systems | 0.78% | 2,776 |
| 13 | Responsible AI Leading AI | 0.69% | 2,456 |
| 14 | AI evaluation and guardrails Building AI systems | 0.67% | 2,388 |
| 15 | ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) Building AI systems | 0.65% | 2,308 |
| 16 | Prompt design Using AI in your work | 0.51% | 1,811 |
| 17 | AI product management Leading AI | 0.41% | 1,447 |
| 18 | GPU and CUDA Building AI systems | 0.38% | 1,334 |
| 19 | AI-enabled analytics Using AI in your work | 0.36% | 1,269 |
| 20 | Automation platforms (Zapier, n8n, Power Automate) Using AI in your work | 0.33% | 1,178 |
| 21 | Gen-AI content tools Using AI in your work | 0.25% | 883 |
| 22 | Model fine-tuning Building AI systems | 0.21% | 758 |
| 23 | Leading AI teams Leading AI | 0.20% | 700 |
| 24 | AI in business apps (Agentforce, Now Assist) Using AI in your work | 0.19% | 690 |
How this ranking works
A AI skill's score is the share of open professional roles whose posting names it, read by our AI-skill tagger from the full posting text across 24 AI skills in three groups: using AI in your work, leading AI, and building AI systems.
Only skills named in at least 30 openings are ranked.
Sample bar: skills with fewer than 30 openings are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles on employer career sites, verified in the last week. Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which skill ranks first: most requested ai skills in job postings?
- AI tools in daily work is the most requested AI skill in job postings across all job families: it is named in 5.6% of openings.
- How many skills are ranked?
- 24 skills have at least 30 openings, so the list has 24 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- A AI skill's score is the share of open professional roles whose posting names it, read by our AI-skill tagger from the full posting text across 24 AI skills in three groups: using AI in your work, leading AI, and building AI systems. Only skills named in at least 30 openings are ranked.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Most requested AI skills in job postings,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/most-requested-ai-skills
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/most-requested-ai-skills">Most requested AI skills in job postings (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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