AI drives tech layoffs but boosts US salaries by $18,000 in non-tech fields, study reveals
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving major changes across the US labor market, according to a new report by labor market analytics firm Lightcast. While the tech industry has seen widespread layoffs, non-tech sectors are experiencing a rise in job opportunities and salaries tied to AI proficiency.
The "Beyond the Buzz" report, based on an analysis of over 1.3 billion job postings, reveals a significant salary premium—28% on average, equating to nearly $18,000 more annually—for roles requiring AI skills outside traditional tech functions. The study illustrates the widening gap between declining tech roles and growing AI-enabled positions across other industries.
AI-linked layoffs accelerate in the tech sector
The tech industry, once the center of AI innovation, is now undergoing a contraction due to increased automation.
According to the Lightcast report, AI-powered tools are replacing roles in software engineering, IT support, and administrative services. Microsoft alone has announced 15,000 job cuts, even as it commits $80 billion to AI investments. As of the latest figures cited by the study, up to 80,000 tech jobs have been impacted by layoffs driven by AI integration.
The share of AI jobs within IT and computer science has dropped from 61% in 2019 to 49% in 2024, indicating a shift in where AI skills are in demand.
As reported by Fortune, Lightcast noted a continuing decline in traditional tech roles and a simultaneous expansion of AI across other industries.
AI job demand expands into non-tech sectors
AI roles are no longer confined to Silicon Valley or computer science labs. In 2024, more than half of all job postings requiring AI skills were outside the tech industry. According to Lightcast data, marketing, education, HR, finance, manufacturing, and customer service have emerged as leading sectors integrating AI capabilities.
Job postings mentioning generative AI skills outside IT and computer science rose 800% since 2022. Tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and DALL-E have driven this increase, changing workflows in sectors such as marketing, design, and education. Lightcast's Vice President of Research, Innovation, and Talent Insights, Cole Napper, told Fortune that AI's spread across industries lacks a clear pattern and even includes the arts.
Key AI-Related Labor Market Statistics from Lightcast Study
Category
Statistic / Figure
Details
Salary premium for AI-skilled roles
28% higher
Equivalent to nearly $18,000 more per year outside tech sector
Increase in salary with 2+ AI skills
43% premium
AI-proficient candidates with multiple skills earn significantly more
Job losses in tech due to AI
Up to 80,000 jobs impacted
Includes Microsoft's cut of 15,000 jobs
Microsoft AI investment
$80 billion
Committed while cutting jobs
Decline in AI jobs within IT & computer science
From 61% in 2019 to 49% in 2024
Shows AI job demand moving beyond core tech roles
Generative AI job postings growth (non-tech)
800% increase since 2022
Driven by tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Microsoft Copilot
Job postings mentioning generative AI (2024)
66,000+
Nearly 4× increase from previous year
Large language modeling jobs (2024)
19,500 postings
Second most common AI skill
Top sectors seeing AI-driven pay increases
Customer/client support, sales, manufacturing
Non-tech sectors experiencing largest wage gains
AI jobs outside tech sector
More than 50% of all AI-skilled roles in 2024
Signals shift of AI adoption into broader US economy
Generative AI and hybrid skills lead salary gains
In 2024, over 66,000 job postings in the US mentioned generative AI skills, marking a nearly fourfold increase from the prior year. Other in-demand skills include large language modeling (present in 19,500 postings), ChatGPT, and prompt engineering.
Lightcast data shows that workers with two or more AI-related skills see up to a 43% premium on advertised salaries.
Sectors such as sales, customer support, and manufacturing are reporting the largest pay increases for AI-proficient workers. Christina Inge, founder of Thoughtlight, told Fortune that AI-fluent employees in customer service know how to write prompts, interpret AI outputs, and troubleshoot, adding that this hybrid expertise is "well worth the extra pay.
"
Soft skills remain essential in AI roles
While technical skills remain important, AI-enabled roles also demand communication, leadership, and problem-solving abilities.
According to the Lightcast report, these soft skills are among the top 10 most-requested in AI-related job postings, alongside machine learning and AI foundations.
Fortune reported that Lightcast's findings suggest a shift toward enterprise-wide AI fluency, with companies training non-technical teams to integrate AI. Napper told Fortune there is a "cost to complacency," noting that workers who fail to adapt risk significant salary disadvantages.
Traditional tech shrinks as AI creates broader opportunity
The report concludes that while traditional tech roles face automation-driven reductions, AI skills are driving new opportunities and higher wages in non-tech sectors. Lightcast plans to release further research on how these trends affect different income levels, as stated by Napper in his interview with Fortune.
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