Indeed data shows 9.4 percent of UK job ads mention AI by June 2026, while overall hiring for knowledge work falls

Analysis from the Indeed Hiring Lab reveals a sharp divide in the British labour market. While demand for artificial intelligence skills grows, general postings in fields such as marketing, management, and human resources are shrinking.

By the end of June 2026, 9.4 percent of all job listings in the UK referenced AI or related software. That figure stands at roughly two percent from 2023. This trend is spreading well beyond the technology sector.

Technical and creative roles now require AI literacy

Data & Analytics leads the way, with 48.8 percent of listings mentioning AI. Software Development follows closely at 46.7 percent. Nearly half of the roles in both categories now list this skill as a requirement.

The requirement has moved into other industries too. Thirty point seven percent of IT Systems & Solutions postings mention AI. Scientific Research & Development listings show 28.1 percent. Marketing roles are at 26.2 percent, and Media & Communications jobs sit at 22.4 percent.

Banking & Finance and Arts & Entertainment have also crossed the double-digit threshold at 16.9 percent and 16.3 percent respectively.

Roles requiring physical presence remain largely unaffected. Beauty & Wellness, Care, Cleaning, and Driving Services all show mention rates below one percent.

Knowledge work hiring drops as AI demand rises

Employers are placing AI skills on par with traditional expertise. This creates a “two-speed labour market” where overall volume is weak but demand for proven AI skills is growing fast.

The split is sharpest in Human Resources, Accounting, Management, Marketing, Project Management, and Banking & Finance. In marketing, the AI job posting index sits at 341 while the overall index has dropped to 52. Management shows a similar divide at 344 versus 78.

Job searches confirm the shift. Searches for AI roles have grown sevenfold since ChatGPT launched. Workers seem to grasp where the market is going and are adjusting accordingly.

“Engineer” (6.4 percent) and “Trainer” (5.6 percent) are the terms job seekers most often combine with “AI”. Indeed says younger workers and career starters are actively seeking structured paths into the AI economy. Search volumes have dipped from recent peaks over the past few months, though the pullback may just be a blip against the broader upward trend.

The AI hiring boom contrasts sharply with the broader UK job market. Postings across Britain have fallen 11 percent since the start of 2026 and now sit 32 percent below pre-pandemic levels. Younger workers are feeling the squeeze most: Graduate listings are at their lowest seasonal level since the pandemic, and youth unemployment has hit its highest point in over a decade.

What it means

Workers in knowledge sectors must treat AI proficiency as a baseline requirement rather than a bonus. Those relying solely on traditional experience in marketing or finance face a steeper climb to find work.