AI roles are dominating tech market growth, according to the newest study from the AI Workforce Consortium.

Lead by Cisco, the Consortium is a private sector collaboration that includes industry leaders  Accenture, Cornerstone, Eightfold AI, Google, IBM, Indeed, Intel, Microsoft and SAP.

The analysis from 2025 examines 50 ICT and specialised support roles, offering new insights into emerging AI-specific jobs, regional job creation, and the skills workers need to remain competitive.

The research found that AI skills are now pervasive for tech jobs, with 78% of the job roles analysed including AI skills, highlighting a shift in role requirements across the G7.

AI roles are also consistently dominant in technology job market growth, with seven of the ten fastest-growing ICT roles related to AI, including AI/ML engineer, AI risk and governance specialist, and NLP engineer.

Demand for skills in AI governance is also up by 150%, with AI ethics seeing a 125% increase in demand, reflecting the need for expertise at the intersection of technology, law, and ethics.

The skills deficit has reached critical levels in areas such as generative AI, LLMs, prompt engineering, AI ethics, and AI security, while human skills like communication, collaboration, and leadership are increasingly prioritised for responsible technology adoption.

Still, there is a surge for specialised AI skills, with the AI landscape quickly shifting from chatbots to agents, driving demand for specialised skills, including AI security (+298%), foundation model adaptation (+267%), responsible AI (+256%) and multi-agent systems (+245%).

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Major tech hubs are still in the lead when it comes to job growth, with Silicon Valley maintaining its outright lead with an 156% increase in AI jobs, followed by London and Toronto, underscoring their status as global AI powerhouses, while Manchester, Lyon, and Vancouver are emerging hubs with over 70% AI job growth.

“As AI reshapes our world and work, people remain at the centre,” said Francine Katsoudas, Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer, Cisco.

“This year’s report makes clear that AI skills open exciting new doors, but it’s the combination of technical expertise and human strengths like collaboration and leadership that will truly shape a brighter future. We are committed to building a workforce that is ready for this new era of growth, and to give people everywhere the opportunity to learn, contribute and benefit.”