Artificial intelligence is changing the skills employers seek and the way workers build careers, increasing the importance of continuous learning as businesses rethink traditional hiring and promotion structures, according to LinkedIn’s director of economic research.
Sharat Raghavan said employers were seeking AI capabilities alongside skills such as people management and stakeholder communication, suggesting that the changing labour market will reward workers who can combine technical proficiency with human interaction.
Speaking on the World Bank Group development podcast on the topic of “Will AI Make or Take the Next Billion Jobs?”, Raghavan said LinkedIn’s labour-market observations showed demand for AI-related skills alongside roles in healthcare, real estate, sales and business development.
The findings suggest that AI-related employment opportunities are not limited to software developers. Raghavan also pointed to data annotation and occupations linked to data centres, including technicians, plumbers and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning specialists.
These roles illustrate how the expansion of AI can generate demand across a wider business and infrastructure ecosystem, even as the technology changes tasks performed in existing occupations.
But the transition is putting pressure on younger workers entering a market in which the supply of graduates and the availability of suitable jobs do not always align. Raghavan said the number of computer science graduates entering the market was near an all-time high, while a slower macroeconomic environment could be contributing to difficulties finding work.
He cautioned against attributing all hiring pressures to AI, saying it remained difficult to separate the effects of technology from broader economic conditions.
Career paths are becoming less linear
Raghavan said LinkedIn data showed that people now had twice as many jobs over their careers as those who began working 15 years earlier, emphasising the value of adaptability and retraining.
He also cited a year-over-year increase of more than 60% globally in members adding founder or entrepreneurial-style titles to their profiles. The figure may indicate growing interest in entrepreneurship and independent ventures, although it does not establish how many people have launched successful businesses.
The changes could challenge traditional career structures in which workers move from entry-level roles to middle management and senior positions through relatively predictable progression.
In the podcast discussion, the speakers raised concerns that AI could automate tasks historically performed by junior employees, including spreadsheet analysis and other entry-level work. If more senior employees can use AI to perform those tasks, businesses may need to reconsider how they train and develop new workers.
Raghavan argued that mentorship and interaction with colleagues would remain important because professional development involves more than completing tasks. Eissa similarly emphasised the need to prepare students earlier for changing skill requirements.
Practical AI experience becomes a priority
For young people seeking to enter the workforce, both speakers recommended learning by doing rather than relying exclusively on formal qualifications or theoretical training.
Eissa encouraged young people to use available online courses and training materials to build a basic understanding of AI, then approach local businesses with proposals to solve practical problems using the technology.
His suggested approach was to offer assistance with a real business need, such as customer acquisition, and use the experience to develop applied skills. Even unsuccessful projects, he said, could provide valuable practical learning.
Raghavan recommended experimenting with AI tools, identifying areas of personal interest and seeking mentors who could help workers understand where their capabilities fit employer needs.
Marina Mogilko, an entrepreneur and content creator featured earlier in the podcast, offered a related perspective on the accessibility of AI. She said small businesses could increasingly benefit from employees who know how to use AI tools, including those who learn basic “vibe coding” to build dashboards and automate routine work.
Mogilko said her company increasingly viewed hiring as bringing in “a person and their AI stack,” reflecting the expectation that employees will combine their own skills with tools that improve productivity.
She identified curiosity and a positive attitude as important attributes for young workers navigating the transition.
For employers, the shift creates a challenge as well as an opportunity: AI can make existing employees more productive, but companies must also consider how entry-level workers will gain experience and progress into more advanced roles.
The discussion highlighted a labour market in transition, in which AI literacy, industry knowledge, practical experience and human skills are becoming increasingly important to workers and businesses.
