AI engineers have emerged as the fastest-growing job role in New York City, according to a comprehensive LinkedIn analysis of approximately three years of user data examining how employment is evolving across the United States. The study, which reviewed job trends in New York City and nine other major metropolitan areas, found that AI engineers ranked No. 1 not only in NYC but also nationally and in most other cities examined.
The surge in AI-related positions reflects a broader transformation of the American workforce, with many professionals transitioning into these high-demand roles from adjacent fields such as software engineering and data science. This lateral movement suggests that existing tech professionals are upskilling and pivoting to capitalize on the AI boom sweeping through industries.
While artificial intelligence positions dominated the top spots on LinkedIn’s list, AI consultants and strategists claimed the No. 2 position in both New York City and nationally, indicating that the AI revolution requires more than just technical expertise. According to Laura Lorenzetti, a senior director at LinkedIn, this signals that “there is also this whole adjacent system of how you implement AI; how you do culture change around AI; how you get people to really adapt and use it.”
Beyond pure AI roles, New York City is also seeing strong demand for various consulting positions, including fundraising consultants and strategic advisors. LinkedIn noted that these roles are rising as “companies are doubling down on strategic, revenue-driving work,” suggesting businesses are investing in expertise to navigate complex market conditions and maximize AI’s potential.
This employment trend emerges against a backdrop of relatively healthy labor market conditions in New York City, where unemployment stood at 4.5% in November, matching the national rate and remaining low compared to historical averages. The convergence of low unemployment and surging AI job demand suggests a competitive hiring environment for AI talent.
Career experts are noting a generational shift in employer expectations, with Keith Spencer from Resume Now reporting that young professionals increasingly hear from employers that they should “intrinsically know how to use AI to make your role more productive and more efficient.” This expectation reflects how rapidly AI literacy is becoming a baseline skill rather than a specialized competency, particularly for early-career professionals entering the workforce.
Key Quotes
Roles like fundraising consultants and strategic advisors are rising too, signaling that companies are doubling down on strategic, revenue-driving work.
This observation from LinkedIn News highlights that while AI roles dominate growth, companies are simultaneously investing in strategic expertise to navigate business challenges and maximize returns on their AI investments.
There is also this whole adjacent system of how you implement AI; how you do culture change around AI; how you get people to really adapt and use it.
Laura Lorenzetti, senior director at LinkedIn, explains why AI consultants and strategists are in such high demand, emphasizing that successful AI adoption requires more than technical skills—it demands organizational change management expertise.
Intrinsically know how to use AI to make your role more productive and more efficient.
Keith Spencer, a career expert at Resume Now, describes the new expectations employers have for young professionals, revealing how AI literacy is rapidly becoming a baseline requirement rather than a specialized skill, particularly for early-career workers.
Our Take
This data from LinkedIn provides concrete evidence of what many have suspected: we’re witnessing the early stages of an AI-driven labor market transformation. What’s particularly striking is the dual nature of demand—both for technical AI builders and for strategic AI implementers. This suggests companies have moved beyond experimentation and are now in the challenging phase of scaling AI across organizations.
The expectation that young workers should “intrinsically” understand AI is revealing and potentially problematic. It places the burden of AI education on individuals rather than employers, potentially widening gaps between those with access to AI training and those without. However, the fact that many AI engineers are transitioning from adjacent fields offers hope that reskilling pathways exist for motivated professionals. As AI continues reshaping work, the question isn’t whether to develop AI skills, but how quickly workers and educational institutions can adapt to meet this accelerating demand.
Why This Matters
This LinkedIn analysis reveals a fundamental restructuring of the American job market driven by artificial intelligence adoption. The dominance of AI engineers and consultants at the top of growth charts signals that we’re in the midst of a significant workforce transformation, not just a temporary hiring trend.
The emergence of AI strategists and consultants as the second-fastest growing role is particularly significant—it demonstrates that successful AI implementation requires organizational change management, not just technical deployment. Companies are recognizing that purchasing AI tools isn’t enough; they need experts who can integrate these technologies into workflows, manage cultural resistance, and drive adoption across teams.
For workers, this trend carries both opportunities and pressures. The expectation that young professionals should inherently understand AI tools represents a new baseline competency, similar to how computer literacy became essential in previous decades. This creates urgency for workers across industries to develop AI skills or risk being left behind in an increasingly competitive job market. The fact that many AI engineers are transitioning from related fields like software engineering and data science also suggests that reskilling pathways exist for technical professionals willing to adapt.