SHRM Research Finds Global Demand for AI Skills Is Rising but Uneven
An analysis of 27 countries reveals wide gaps across markets, occupations, and technical specialties.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Today, SHRM, the trusted authority on all things work, workers, and the workplace, released Global AI Skills Trends: IT and Computer Science, a new analysis showing that employer demand for artificial intelligence skills increased across all 27 countries studied between June 2025 and June 2026, though the level and pace of demand varied sharply by market and occupation. The report examines active job postings in information technology and computer science roles to help employers align talent acquisition, workforce planning, and upskilling strategies with changing skill needs.
Key Findings
- AI skill demand varies widely by country, with the 12-month average share of IT and computer science job postings mentioning AI skills ranging from 7% in Austria to 28.5% in the United States.
- Demand increased in every country analyzed, although the pace differed significantly. Argentina and Chile recorded the largest increases, at 15.5 and 13.1 percentage points, respectively.
- AI skills are concentrated in certain occupations. The median country share of postings mentioning AI skills ranged from 4.7% in Network and Systems Support roles to 55.1% in Data Analysis and Mathematics roles.
- Broad AI terminology remains more common than specialized capabilities. Among AI-related postings, 60.3% referenced artificial intelligence generally, while generative AI and AI agents appeared in 15.3% and 13.9%, respectively.
- Demand for social skills also differs substantially across markets, appearing in 5.7% of AI-related IT and computer science postings in Australia and 34.3% in France.
"Our findings show that demand for AI skills is accelerating worldwide, but it is not unfolding uniformly across markets or occupations," said James Atkinson, vice president of thought leadership at SHRM. "For business leaders, that means a one-size-fits-all talent strategy will fall short. Organizations must understand where AI capabilities are most critical, invest in targeted workforce development, and build the combination of technical and social skills their workforces will need to succeed."
The United States recorded the highest average share of IT and computer science postings mentioning AI skills at 28.5%, followed closely by Canada at 28.1%, Argentina at 27.4%, Singapore at 27.3%, and Ireland at 26.4%. Several continental European countries, including Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Italy, posted lower shares ranging from 9% to 12.5%, illustrating how digital infrastructure, business practices, and regulatory environments may shape employer demand.
The pace of change was also uneven. Argentina and Chile more than doubled their shares of postings mentioning AI skills compared with the previous year. Canada and Brazil recorded increases of 12.5 and 8.8 percentage points, corresponding to increases of 80% and 85%, respectively.
Demand also differed markedly across occupations. More than half of postings for Data Analysis and Mathematics occupations mentioned at least one AI skill, compared with fewer than one in 20 postings for Network and Systems Support. Individual roles like Artificial Intelligence Engineer and Data Scientist stood apart: 93% and 75% of postings for those occupations mentioned AI skills, respectively.
The report found that employers frequently used broad terms such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, while specialized capabilities appeared less often. General AI and machine learning skills nevertheless ranked among the 10 most sought-after AI skills across the countries studied, alongside generative AI, cloud platforms, and widely used tools such as PyTorch and TensorFlow.
The findings also point to different approaches to balancing technical and social skills. Employers in several European countries with comparatively lower AI skill penetration were among the most likely to mention social skills in AI-related postings. Canada stood out for showing relatively strong demand for both advanced technical capabilities and social skills.
Media Access
Members of the media interested in receiving the full report should contact Lawrence Ukenye at lawrence.ukenye@shrm.org.
Methodology
The Global AI Skills Trends analysis uses Lightcast data on active job postings in the information technology and computer science field across 27 countries. The report examines the 12-month period from July 2025 through June 2026 and compares changes with the 12-month period ending in June 2025. The analysis covers 386 AI skills grouped into 10 categories and 22 social skills. Countries were selected based on data quality, sufficient historical data, and representation across and within regions.
About SHRM
SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 174 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Discover more at SHRM.org.
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