In 2024, job postings mentioning GenAI (generative AI) increased fourfold, while nearly 50% of non-job seeking professionals recognize the value of AI upskilling, according to research shared via an email from Coursera.
In fact, Google’s AI Essentials course was the most popular course of the year on the platform, which demonstrates just how much AI has become an integral aspect of our workplaces and lives. Looking ahead to 2025, Coursera projects that the two fastest growing skills of 2025 will be:
- Prompt engineering—”the practice of designing inputs for AI tools that will produce optimal outputs,” according to McKinsey & Company.
- Applied generative AI—the ability to apply GenAI tools to real-world applications based on the context in which you work.
This conclusion was reached from analysts at the online learning platform compiling skills and course enrolment data from 2023 and 2024, and using this to forecast trends for the new year.
What’s important to note about these two skills is that they are both AI-related and even more importantly, research from Indeed shows that they can bump up your salary by as much as 47% (the average salary for a professional with generative AI skills is $174,727).
To paint the picture clearly for you and put this data into perspective, what this means is that if you were making $80,000 in your current job, adding AI skills like prompt engineering and applied generative AI can increase your pay to as much as $117,600 a year.
That’s a massive leap as far as a pay rise is concerned. But why would employers be so eager to dish out extraordinary sums of money for AI-skilled workers?
An AWS report released in December 2023 helps to explain why organizations are headed in this direction. According to their survey of 3,297 employees and 1,340 organizations in the U.S. across multiple industries, their findings revealed that:
- An estimated 92% of U.S. organizations stated that they plan to use AI-based solutions by 2028.
- This implementation is already underway, and is actively impacting hiring choices.
- The departments that stand to receive the most benefit from AI integration are IT (92%), sales and marketing (85%), and human resources (78%).
- The key areas of focus for employers when it comes to AI usage and its benefits for their organizations, include automating tasks, helping their employees learn new skills more effectively, boosting communication, and enhancing workflows.
- But there is an AI skills gap, which is likely driving the demand and skyrocketing salaries. Although AI is accelerating at a rapid pace, the professionals needed to make it happen are hard to find. In fact, three in four employers state that although hiring AI talent is a priority, they cannot find the talent they need.
- Consequently, employers would rather hire an employee who has less experience but possesses AI skills, than hire a candidate with more experience but no AI skills, according to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index 2024.
Last but not least: “Notably, while employers are willing to pay an average of 47% more for IT workers with AI skills, the study found that pay benefits will extend across departments. Employers said that they would be willing to pay workers with AI skills a premium in sales and marketing (43% higher salary); finance (42%); business operations (41%); legal, regulatory, and compliance (37%); and human resources (35%),” says AWS.
So, how should this impact your learning and professional development choices for 2025? If your goal is to boost your salary this new year, make learning AI skills—particularly prompt engineering and applied AI—a priority. Invest the time and money in expanding your knowledge so you can be most effective in your current role, potentially land a promotion, and have more options when it comes to applying for a new job. The good news is you don’t even need to worry about the financial aspect, at least for now. There are plenty of free AI courses (and relatively affordable ones too) that you can study at your own pace online. You can even ask your employer to include this as part of your performance plan, to help hold you accountable. Make 2025 the year you boost your salary and learn skills for the future.