UK's job market is splitting in two as AI demand surges while knowledge work postings crater

AI now appears in 9.4 percent of British job postings, up from about two percent in 2023, according to a new analysis. Overall hiring is falling across many knowledge work sectors, creating what Indeed calls a "two-speed labor market."

AI has become a standard requirement in job listings. By late June 2026, 9.4 percent of all UK job postings mentioned AI or related tools and software, according to the Indeed Hiring Lab, up from about two percent in 2023.

The share of UK job postings that mention AI has nearly quintupled since 2023. | Image: Indeed

AI skills now expected well beyond tech roles

Data & Analytics leads with 48.8 percent, followed by Software Development at 46.7 percent. Nearly half of all listings in both fields now mention AI.