SThree plc

07/16/2025 | Press release | Archived content

Navigating tech talent shifts: the new wave of AI jobs

The AI revolution is in full swing, with the global market projected to grow at a CAGR of 36.6% between 2024 and 2030. But are hiring strategies keeping up with this scarily rapid pace of change?

As AI tech evolves, so do the skills companies need to implement it. It's no longer enough to have generalist employees managing the whole spectrum of increasingly sophisticated tools. Instead, a new wave of specialists is helping employers get ahead in the race to optimise new solutions.

So, which roles should your hiring strategy focus on? And once you've got the talent in house, how can they help you gain competitive advantage?

Fine-tuning generative AI

As generative AI (GenAI) becomes a part of everyday work, it increasingly demands its own talent pool. After the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, GenAI job postings by US employers rose by a staggering 1,848% in just one year. But as the field matures, skills requirements are becoming more specialised.

The effectiveness of GenAI hinges on the quality and completeness of the information fed into it, with prompt engineers swiftly becoming gatekeepers of AI optimisation. Sure enough, job openings for prompt engineers increased by 200% between 2023 and 2024.

But companies need to offer attractive packages to secure this talent - and resources are tight. If you have employees keen to expand their skillsets, upskilling may be a more viable route. For example, in Singapore - the world leader for technology skills, according to our latest STEM Skills Index - the University of Technology and Design now offers a certified prompt engineering course.

Where AI and ethics intersect

It's not just AI's technical challenges that employers must consider. The social, legal and ethical implications are also critical. Companies need to develop and use AI responsibly. That's why the AI ethicist role has emerged.

AI ethicists identify and prevent bias in AI models, maintaining data privacy and ensuring compliance with a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. Failing to have this safeguard in place can be incredibly costly. Under the EU AI Act, noncompliance penalties include fines of up to €35m or 7% of global annual turnover.

These fines could be devastating for companies. There's also the reputational damage that comes with them, which could see clients and customers take their business elsewhere. Hiring talent with crossover experience in ethics, privacy and technology may have upfront costs, but these won't run to eight figures and could, ultimately, save your business.

Building AI skills within leadership

Leaders must embed AI into strategic conversations at the highest level. Our latest How the STEM world works research suggests that current leadership teams may not have the right expertise to drive AI strategies. More than half (57%) of STEM professionals say their leaders lack digital skills.

To remedy this situation, many companies are now prioritising AI knowledge in the C suite. The number of companies with a dedicated Chief AI Officer (CAIO) has almost tripled since 2019. And governments are following suit: in April 2025 the White House mandated that US federal agencies appoint CAIOs.

The organisations that give AI experts a seat at the C-suite table are best positioned to embed technology into every part of business, futureproofing operations and gaining a competitive edge.

The makings of a successful tech hiring strategy

Here's how to keep on top of evolving tech talent requirements:

  1. Think ahead
    If you're in desperate need of the talent right now, you're probably behind the curve. Think about what you want AI to do for your business in the future, then hire the skillsets that will get you there. And don't take too long to do so.
  2. If you can't find AI skills, create them
    Specialist expertise is hard to come by and competition for the best and brightest talent is fierce. If you're struggling to hire, invest in upskilling existing employees to avoid falling further behind.
  3. Take a comprehensive approach
    Don't just think about bringing in individual contributors at an operational level. AI should be a central part of your company's overall growth strategy, with technical experts and strategic leaders guiding the way from the top.

Need support hiring the tech talent of tomorrow?

Find out how SThree's specialist recruitment brands can help.

SThree plc published this content on July 16, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 21, 2025 at 14:19 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io