A recent study by labor market intelligence firm Lightcast highlights AI’s dual impact on the job market.

AI is driving layoffs in the tech sector but boosting salaries in non-tech roles requiring AI skills by an average of US$18,000 annually.

The report, which analyzed over 1.3 billion job postings, reveals that in 2024, more than half of all AI-related job listings came from outside the tech industry.

This marks a shift from previous years when such roles were mainly in IT and computer science.

Job postings mentioning generative AI skills have surged nearly 800% since 2022. Tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are fueling this trend.

In 2024 alone, over 66,000 job ads specifically listed generative AI as a required skill.

Roles combining technical AI expertise with soft skills like communication and problem-solving are increasingly valued.

Meanwhile, the tech industry is facing job cuts, around 80,000 tech workers have been displaced, even as companies like Microsoft continue to invest in AI.

Lightcast’s findings show that even workers with basic AI knowledge can find new roles and earn more, especially in fast-adopting industries like customer support, sales, and manufacturing.

But the study warns that companies may fall behind if they don’t promote AI fluency among their workforce.