Dive Brief:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) specialist topped the third LinkedIn Emerging Jobs Report list in eight countries, and made the top 10 in five other locations, LinkedIn announced Dec. 10. Robotics engineer scored the highest in nine countries, while cybersecurity specialist and jobs for people with data-related experience showed up on multiple lists across the globe.
• The top three emerging jobs in the U.S. were in the tech category: AI specialist, robotics engineering, and data scientist.
• Among emerging jobs in the non-tech category, customer success specialist appeared most often on various nations' lists. The demand for recruiters was also up, increasing 63% within the past three years, according to LinkedIn's The Future of Recruiting Report.

Dive Insight:

Tech's dominance among emerging jobs is no surprise, since even non-tech companies are looking to hire people with AI, robotics and data-related expertise. For example, Indeed reported in July that the demand for tech skills among non-tech companies is up and directed at sales, marketing and other areas not previously associated with technology.

AI's top spot on the list of emerging jobs shouldn't be a surprise, either, especially as the wave of digitization continues to roll. In fact, job openings for AI specialists grew 63% in 2018, according to a CompTIA report. KPMG noted that the stark increase in the demand for these specialists makes AI-related skills the most in-demand.

While the demand for cybersecurity specialists remains high internationally, so does the skills gap, particularly regarding positions that are supposed to protect organizations against hacking and other system breaches. Citing statistics from the National Center for Education Studies, Burning Glass Technologies reported in July that although postsecondary cybersecurity training rose by 33%, and the number of graduates in the field grew 40% between 2013 and 2017, the skills shortage persists.