AI job openings in the US grew 95% year over year in the first half of 2026, but overall job openings fell 16%
issued Thursday, July 9, 2026 · 01:17 PM
Staffing companies, facing the threat of artificial intelligence tools replacing human labor and customers adopting AI-assisted applicant screening, are adapting by focusing on high-demand niche jobs in the AI economy.
“While much of the initial AI hype was focused on displacement, the reality is that the long tail of job growth is much longer,” Sander van’t Noordende, CEO of staffing firm Randstad, said in an interview.
The industry transformation comes as high oil prices, tariffs and weak consumer confidence continue to constrain companies’ hiring plans.
Noah Yosif, chief economist at the American Staffing Association, said companies are slowing hiring and taking more time to determine which skills require humans and which can be enhanced with AI.
According to Randstad data, demand for roles that support AI integration, such as AI trainers and process automation specialists, is surging, with vacancy rates in some roles exceeding 25%.
Other jobs in demand include data scientists, database architects and cybersecurity specialists, which have been around for decades but are now even more in demand with the addition of AI skills, Valerie Beaulieu-James, ManpowerGroup’s chief growth officer, said in an interview.
Tom Way, CEO of Hays UK and Ireland, said cybersecurity was a “key investment area” as businesses grappled with the risks associated with rapid digital transformation.
AI plant construction projects are also supporting skilled trades, with demand for electricians, plumbers and builders growing three times faster than professional jobs, Noordende said. “You can’t build a cloud or run a data center without moving earth and laying cables,” he added.
In the UK and US, one in two AI roles could be unfilled by 2028, according to research by Robert Walters. This translates to around 160,000 vacancies in the UK and more than 800,000 in the US.
Related items
ManpowerGroup’s Beaulieu James said AI is creating an “unbalanced” employment landscape, with demand for AI-related positions lifting the job market while other careers are being squeezed.
According to data from market information firm Talent Neuron cited by ManpowerGroup, the number of AI-related jobs in the United States increased by 95% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, but the number of overall job openings decreased by 16%.
Shift in strategy
In line with the AI boom, recruiters are rethinking their entire strategies.
Mr. Hayes and his peers are “increasingly building expertise around specialized skill communities rather than broad technical categories,” Mr. Wei said.
CEO Toby Foulston said Robert Walters has moved away from the junior end of the market, and those roles tend to be easily replaced. The company has also refocused its focus geographically, ceasing operations in Brazil and Canada and investing heavily in Japan.
“Japan has huge technological capabilities and demand, but clearly it has huge demographic challenges,” he said in an interview. “So the ability to find international talent to move, especially in the technology sector, is critical. Clients want to work with organizations that can provide that supply chain.”
Although they are shrinking their geographic footprint and moving to a “narrow pool of high-value, high-demand skills,” recruiters are widening the range of services they offer, Hayes Way said.
Robert Walters focuses on upskilling employees who can automate tasks.
“Over the past three years, we’ve gone from being just a recruitment business to really thinking about how we can help our clients align their talent strategies,” Foulston said.
It is also important to emphasize human discernment and build relationships. Robert Half CEO Keith Waddell said on the company’s latest earnings call that AI has made it harder for employers to “differentiate candidates and authenticate qualifications,” making recruiters more valuable.
Staffing companies continue to face weak stock prices and low profits, but some major markets report that conditions are stabilizing or even improving.
SThree CEO Timo Lehne was optimistic about last month’s trading update, saying the surge in demand for Python developers and cybersecurity professionals was providing a much-needed boost. bloomberg
