The next time you attend a networking event, don’t get thrown out if you see new job titles on people’s name tags.
AI companies aren’t just changing the way people work; They are changing the types of roles they are hired for, including within their own companies.
Organizational charts are changing as new roles emerge, and the broader job market is reacting.
In some cases, companies are creating entirely new positions. In other companies, existing roles are being revalued or rebranded for the AI era.
This hiring spree and the creation of new positions is in stark contrast to the growing number of companies citing AI as a driver for layoffs.
Job listings show that companies are looking for everything from one of the oldest pursuits (philosophy) to an entirely new category of work created by generative AI models (vibecoders). And we have an army of engineers tasked with helping companies implement technology effectively.
Introducing new and expanding AI jobs, from niche to new.
AI storyteller
AI and technology companies are looking for people to help tell their stories, both in traditional communications and new “evangelists.”
Anthropic is looking for Claude Evangelist to be the “face” of our startup ecosystem. Adobe is looking for a “business architect and AI evangelist” for its company. Last year, Microsoft began publishing a print magazine called Signal.
People employed: At OpenAI and Anthropic, the latter tripled the size of its communications team.
Skills required: For communications management roles, companies are looking for approximately 10 years of work experience and strong relationships with reporters. For some roles, experience in a specialized field is considered a plus, such as government work. For Claude Evangelist’s role at Anthropic, the company is looking for a minimum of seven years, combining a founder-builder startup role with developer work.
salary: According to Indeed, the average annual salary for a Director of Communications in the United States is $106,000. By comparison, Anthropic and OpenAI both hire communications managers with starting salaries of over $200,000. The role of “Claude Evangelist” is even more expensive, starting at $240,000.
forward deployment engineer
The hottest jobs in AI predate OpenAI’s ChatGPT. To give you some idea of the scale, the number of forward deployment engineer jobs in January 2026 was approximately 19 times higher than the previous year, according to Indeed.
Popularized in the 2010s by Palantir, this role aims to embed specialized engineers directly with customers to deliver solutions tailored to a company’s needs, rather than off-the-shelf software.
Palantir CEO Alex Karp likened the job to that of a skilled waiter at a French restaurant, combining exquisite service with food knowledge.
To tap into the lucrative enterprise AI market, frontier model makers, hyperscalers, and everyone in between need roles that combine AI engineer and consultant.
People employed: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Amazon Web Services, Palantir, and more.
Skills required: Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field, experience with multiple coding languages, and experience with specific company AI tools and models. Some companies are looking for applicants who are willing to travel.
salary: Starting salaries range from approximately $115,000 to over $200,000, depending on the role and company.
AI accelerator
While FDE focuses on accelerating external AI adoption, companies are increasingly creating roles to encourage their own colleagues to leverage AI.
Stripe is employing a “forward-deploying AI accelerator” that it will embed into its marketing team, with the goal of having colleagues “make AI the default mode for all work.” Box, whose CEO Aaron Levy is passionate about AI adoption, is hiring an “AI Business Automation Engineer” to integrate AI agents across the cloud management company.
People employed: Stripe, Box, and other tech companies
Skills required: Deep level of knowledge of AI and ability to collaborate with teams to drive AI-driven results aligned to their unique goals. Box is specifically looking for people with “2-3 years of hands-on engineering experience in IT or software engineering.”
salary: Base salaries for Stripe roles start at $132,000. Box jobs start at $146,500.
AI philosopher
AI and technology companies have breathed new life into the job prospects of philosophy majors.
Anthropic, like Google DeepMind, is staffed by philosophers. Both positions focus on ensuring that AI models are broadly consistent with human values. Anthropic has gone so far as to publish a constitution for Claude that details the values it expects from its AI. Similar positions include AI ethicists.
While companies shouldn’t expect to hire a ton of philosophers, the profession officially has a new pipeline into technology.
Skills required: Experience with AI ethics and safety.
salary: Google DeepMind recently hired an emerging Impact Manager for AI Ethics and Safety with a base salary of $212,000 to $231,000.
AI gig worker
Some foundational AI jobs are gig-style jobs, particularly focused on the human side of training AI models.
Companies like Scale AI and Mercor are major players in this space. This includes everything from feedback on an AI model’s creative writing output to helping train translation skills and even comedy chops.
Traditional gig work companies like Uber, DoorDash, and Instawork have also begun offering jobs that pay users to upload photos and videos of household chores and other tasks that are used to train AI models.
Skills required: Depending on the specific job and knowledge category, Scale AI and Mercor require a bachelor’s degree and several years of professional experience. For chores and tasks tracked by Uber and DoorDash, the barrier to entry is lower. Think about the typical gig work qualifications.
salary: Depending on experience, workers can earn anywhere from $15 to approximately $200 per hour.
vibe coder
Vibe Coding is no longer just for fun. The popularity and ease of use of generative AI coding tools is creating a whole new category of jobs.
Vibecoding platforms like Lovable employ professional vibecoders.
Other companies within and outside of technology are also seeking applicants with vibe coding experience. TikTok is looking for a product designer who can create prototypes “using code and AI tools.” YouTube is looking for an “AI Solutions Architect” who can “avoid traditional slow development cycles by leveraging AI-assisted development (vibecoding) and low-code solutions.”
Skills required: Most jobs require some level of technical proficiency. For example, YouTube roles give preference to applicants skilled in “Python, SQL, and API integration.” The minimum requirements call for six years of experience in “product or program management.”
salary: Salaries vary widely depending on the exact nature of the role. TikTok jobs start at $108,000. YouTube roles start at $149,000.
AI chief
AI is also changing the C-suite.
In July 2024, PwC announced the appointment of a “Chief AI Officer.” Similarly, Accenture announced its first Chief Responsible AI Officer in 2024. In 2025, Raymond James created the role of “Principal AI Architect.”
It’s not just American companies. Local governments are also hiring for AI chief positions.
salary: Glassdoor’s estimated salary range is $265,000 to $494,000. In government, Arkansas is hiring a “chief AI officer” with a starting salary of just over $117,000.