The top fastest growing skill in the U.S. may not be a surprise; AI literacy took that spot, according to a LinkedIn report released March 19.
Notably, that skill set is considered separate from AI development, which includes skills regarding the development and application of large language models. AI literacy, meanwhile, is the ability to understand and leverage AI-enabled tools, like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot, LinkedIn explained in its methodology.
The list is heavy on “people” skills, such conflict mitigation (second after AI literacy), adaptability and stakeholder management. LLM development is 10th on the list, comparatively.
The top ten in-demand skills for U.S. workers, according to LinkedIn, are:
- AI literacy
- Conflict mitigation
- Adaptability
- Process optimization
- Innovative thinking
- Public speaking
- Solution-based selling
- Customer engagement and support
- Stakeholder management
- LLM development and application
To make the list, LinkedIn counted the rates at which members of the site were adding new skills to their profile, while hiring success was measured by “the share of a skill possessed by members who have been hired in the past year.” Emerging demand was another metric, which measured “the increased presence of a given skill in paid job postings.”
“[T]hese are the emerging areas that professionals are prioritizing and companies are increasingly hiring for,” LinkedIn said.
For HR professionals in particular, employee communications took the top spot thanks to ongoing change happening at organizations, LinkedIn said. AI literacy took the 2nd spot, “suggesting that effective knowledge and use of AI tools can help HR professionals get ahead,” according to the report. Relationship development took the 3rd spot.
The heavy presence of “human” skills may indicate an increasing demand for it, even amid the rise of new tech — though workers have historically expressed concern that employers are more focused on technical skills over soft skills. A Deloitte report from October 2024 showed that 94% of workers surveyed said they were concerned that future generations may not have the necessary human skills to succeed.
While 87% of those surveyed said they see skills like adaptability, leadership and communication as necessary to career advancement, only 52% said they think their company values those skills more than workers with technical skills.
Notably, workplace conflict management and issue resolution were highly in-demand skills on LinkedIn’s lists — something managers have also flagged in other surveys. Nearly half of managers surveyed by DDI last year said they lacked effective conflict management skills amid an increasingly polarized workforce.
Poor communication may also be holding the workforce back in general, a Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership report said earlier this month.
