To help you expand your job search and land that $100k+ salary, Ladders identifies the 15 six-figure jobs AI created in the last decade, the highest-paying emerging jobs and the ones that will still exist In 2036.gettyIn past years, I have written how workers have worried that artificial intelligence will replace their jobs. But a recent report suggests that fear may be aimed at the wrong target. According to Marc Cenedella, CEO of Ladders, AI isn’t coming for your job. “It’s coming for the backlog every company has been piling up for years,” he says. “The people who struggle won’t be the ones AI displaces. They'll be the ones who spent all these years putting off learning it.”The 15 Six-Figure Careers You Can Bet OnResearch from Ladders identifies 15 six-figure careers that either did not exist or barely existed a decade ago. The list includes roles such as Chief AI Officer, AI Engineer, Cloud Architect, Influencer Manager and Data Protection Officer—jobs born from technological disruption, digital transformation and changing consumer behavior.To help you expand your job search and land that $100k+ salary, Ladders compiled the most promising 15 six-figure careers along with median salaries that didn’t exist ten years ago and that will sustain until 2036:1. Data Scientist ($112,000)Data scientists analyze large datasets to uncover patterns, trends, and business insights. As AI systems consume ever-growing amounts of data, organizations increasingly rely on data scientists to organize, interpret, and extract value from information. Bachelor’s degree typically required.2. Machine Learning Specialist ($129,000–$200,000)Machine learning specialists build AI systems that learn from data and improve over time without explicit programming. Their work powers technologies such as recommendation engines, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation. Bachelor’s typically required.MORE FOR YOU3. SEO Specialist ($86,000–$115,000+)SEO specialists optimize websites to improve visibility in search engine results. They combine technical website knowledge with marketing expertise to drive traffic and online discoverability. Degree not required, but beneficial.4. AEO Specialist (Answer Engine Optimization: $91,000–$180,000)AEO specialists help companies ensure their content appears in AI-generated answers from platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Google’s AI Overviews. The role has emerged as traditional search traffic declines. Degree not required, but beneficial.5. Cloud Architect ($132,000–$200,000)Cloud architects design and manage a company’s cloud computing infrastructure on platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. They help organizations scale operations securely and efficiently. Bachelor’s degree and/or cloud certifications.6. Climate Change Analyst ($112,000)Climate change analysts evaluate how environmental changes affect businesses, communities, and infrastructure. They help organizations assess risk and develop strategies to mitigate climate-related threats. Bachelor’s degree required.7. Telemedicine Physician ($240,000)Telemedicine physicians diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and consult with patients remotely through video platforms. The role has expanded rapidly as healthcare delivery becomes increasingly digital. Medical degree (MD) or advanced nursing degree.8. Social Media Manager ($74,000 to $200,000+)Social media managers oversee a company’s presence across platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Reddit. They create content, engage audiences, and build brand loyalty. Degree not required.9. Influencer Manager ($135,000)Influencer managers coordinate partnerships between brands and social media creators. They develop influencer marketing strategies, manage campaigns, and cultivate relationships with content creators. Degree not required.10. Drone Operator ($71,000–$100,000)Drone operators pilot unmanned aerial vehicles for surveying, inspections, photography, filmmaking, mapping, and deliveries. The role has expanded far beyond military applications. FAA Remote Pilot Certificate required.11. AI Ethicist ($70,000–$170,000)AI ethicists establish policies and guidelines to ensure artificial intelligence systems are developed and used responsibly. They focus on privacy, fairness, transparency, and risk management. Bachelor’s degree required.12. AI Engineer ($142,000)AI engineers build, train, and deploy artificial intelligence systems, including large language models and machine learning applications. They bridge software engineering and AI development. Bachelor’s degree required.13. Chief Listening Officer ($151,000)A Chief Listening Officer monitors public sentiment, employee feedback, and brand reputation across multiple channels. They advise executives on how to improve trust, engagement, and public perception. Bachelor’s degree required.14. Data Protection Officer ($118,000)Data Protection Officers ensure organizations comply with privacy laws such as GDPR and protect customer information. They oversee data governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance. Bachelor’s degree minimum.15. Chief AI Officer ($200,000–$500,000+)The Chief AI Officer is a C-suite executive responsible for an organization’s overall AI strategy, governance, implementation and adoption. They ensure AI investments deliver measurable business value while managing risk. Bachelor’s degree minimum.The Future Of The New 15 Six-Figure JobsLadders points out that several of these careers didn’t even have recognizable titles ten years ago. Others existed in limited forms but have exploded as organizations adapted to cloud computing, digital marketing, AI adoption and remote service delivery.Many workers assume that landing the newest job title guarantees long-term security. Cenedella disagrees. "In about 20 years, the title Chief AI Officer will be as irrelevant as Chief Digital Officer is today," he says. "Once AI becomes the norm, nobody will remember the tool. They'll remember the outcome the title was really about."He views certain AI-related roles as transitional rather than permanent. Prompt engineering, for example, has attracted enormous attention over the last two years. Yet Cenedella predicts the role may largely disappear as AI systems become easier to use and require less specialized prompting."A Prompt Engineer is a transitional role," he says. “A Telemedicine Physician is not.” The distinction highlights an important career principle: jobs tied to a temporary technological limitation may vanish once that limitation is solved. Jobs tied to enduring human needs—healthcare, trust, communication, oversight and strategic decision-making—are more likely to survive.The strongest signal in the report isn’t any specific job title. It’s the growing value of AI literacy itself. According to Cenedella, there are currently 1.3 million job openings requiring AI-related skills, and workers possessing those capabilities earn an average wage premium of 56%.Yet, he believes AI fluency will soon become so common that it won’t even appear on future lists of desirable skills. He asserts that the single most important skill on not on the list is AI fluency. "Don't wait for an employer to train you on AI," Cenedella advises. “You need to take the reins and leverage it in your own role. That's going to be the difference between the person who gets promoted and the one who gets laid off.”The report suggests not worrying about college degrees, but not because degrees are losing ground. Many of these positions are too new for academic institutions to have created formal programs around them. So employers are evaluating candidates based on demonstrated capability rather than educational pedigree: portfolios, practical experience, certifications, side projects and measurable outcomes rather than simply a diploma.This is encouraging news for job seekers. It means the path into many high-paying careers is becoming more flexible, provided candidates can demonstrate real-world competence. A Final Takeaway The takeaway is that workers shouldn’t focus exclusively on memorizing today’s hottest job titles. The jobs of 2036 don’t even have names yet. Cenedella believes the most valuable future jobs may be impossible to predict precisely because they don’t yet exist. He advises that you develop durable capabilities that transfer across multiple technological waves: learning agility, critical thinking, communication, judgment, creativity and AI fluency. The ability to adapt remains the most valuable career skill of all. Workers will be the ones who understand which innovations are temporary, which are transformational and how to continuously evolve alongside them.