(NewsNation) — Artificial intelligence hasn’t changed most jobs yet, but roles tied to AI are already growing fast.
AI engineer took the top spot on LinkedIn’s annual Jobs on the Rise list, which highlights the fastest-growing roles over the past three years.
Other fast-growing AI-related jobs were less technical, with AI consultants and strategists ranking near the top.
LinkedIn also flagged a shift toward self-employment, with founders and independent consultants on the rise.
The 2026 list is based on an analysis of millions of jobs started by LinkedIn members between January 1, 2023, and July 31, 2025, the professional networking platform said.
10 – Sales executives
- Most common skills: C-Level Management, International Sales, Sales Strategy
- Top roles transitioned from: Vice President of Global Sales, Chief Operating Officer, Vice President of Business Development
- Where the most jobs are: Los Angeles, New York City, Dallas
9 – Founders
- Most common skills: Start-up Leadership, Brand Development, Software Development
- Top roles transitioned from: Software Engineer, Product Manager, Managing Director
- Where the most jobs are: New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles
8 – Advertising sales specialists
- Most common skills: Media Planning, Social Media Optimization (SMO), Paid Social Media Advertising
- Top roles transitioned from: Account Executive, Sales Director, Advertising Manager
- Where the most jobs are: New York City, Detroit, Atlanta
7 – Strategic advisors and independent consultants
- Most common skills: Executive Advisory, Go-to-Market Strategy, Strategic Partnerships
- Top roles transitioned from: Chief Executive Officer, Founder, Chief Operating Officer
- Where the most jobs are: New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C.
6 – Healthcare reimbursement specialists
- Most common skills: Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursement, Prior Authorization, Managed Care
- Top roles transitioned from: Account Manager, Medical Biller, Sales Specialist
- Where the most jobs are: New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles
5 – AI/ML researchers
- Most common skills: PyTorch, Deep Learning, Computer Vision
- Top roles transitioned from: Data Scientist, Software Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer
- Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, New York City, Boston
4 – Data annotators
- Most common skills: SEO Copywriting, Content Marketing, Content Production
- Top roles transitioned from: Content Manager, Editor, Data Analyst
- Where the most jobs are: Austin, New York City, San Francisco
3 – New home sales specialist
- Most common skills: Residential Real Estate, Real Estate Transactions, Buyer Representation
- Top roles transitioned from: Real Estate Agent, Sales Manager, Property Advisor
- Where the most jobs are: Houston, Dallas, Orlando
2 – AI consultants and strategists
- Most common skills: Large Language Models (LLM), MLOps, Computer Vision
- Top roles transitioned from: Founder, Software Engineer, Product Manager
- Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, New York City, Boston
1 – AI engineers
- Most common skills: LangChain, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), PyTorch
- Top roles transitioned from: Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Full Stack Engineer
- Where the most jobs are: San Francisco, New York City, Dallas