New data from talent consulting firm Robert Half shows that the AI-jobs anxiety dominating workplace conversations may be obscuring a more immediate financial story: a significant wage premium for workers who can demonstrate practical AI skills.
Over half of employers will offer higher-than-expected salaries to attract new hires in 2027, according to the Robert Half research. Around 72% of managers plan to boost pay for recruits with relevant AI skills, and 42% say that knowledge commands a greater surcharge than other technical skills.
AI job postings in the US have doubled since 2023, according to a LinkedIn analysis from earlier this year. The average AI job posting offers an annual salary of around $177,000, compared to non-AI roles which typically pay roughly $80,000.
Currently, around 40% of US workers are casually using AI on the job, according to an Ipsos study with Google, while only 5% are considered "AI fluent." Employees who are AI fluent are over four times more likely to report higher earnings and get promoted due to their AI expertise, compared with workers who are getting used to the tech.
"Employers are willing to offer higher pay for professionals who understand where AI can add value, can integrate it into day-to-day processes, and can apply it responsibly to solve real business challenges," Dawn Fay, operational president at Robert Half, told Fortune.
The threat of AI replacing jobs is real, but so is the opportunity for workers who know how to use it. As companies pour money into AI, workers who build those in-demand skills could find themselves on the winning side of the transformation.
Source: Fortune
