U.S. IT Hiring Shifts Toward AI Risk Skills

U.S. employers are posting more jobs for AI and machine learning skills. Dice’s September 2026 hiring report found that total U.S. IT job postings rose 17% from September 2025, while postings related to AI and machine learning increased 88%. Their growth was about five times the average increase for all technology job postings. Total U.S. IT postings edged down in August, then rose again in September.

As employees use AI tools more widely and companies set specific adoption goals, demand is also growing for talent in security and finance. Companies further along in AI adoption are focusing on cybersecurity, governance (rules and oversight for managing an organization), responsible and ethical AI use, and financial operations skills for managing AI costs. In September, demand for skills involving Claude, agentic AI (AI systems that can take actions toward goals), enterprise systems integration, and responsible AI rose both year over year and month over month. A June survey showed a similar trend.

In September, electronics was the fastest-growing technology field since July, and demand for managing AI systems also increased. More postings sought creative problem-solving, team performance management, and demonstration skills. Demand for endpoint detection and prevention and fintech skills also rose from the previous month. Dice recorded these year-over-year increases over the past year: Claude AI 1,033%, agentic AI 446%, responsible AI 401%, enterprise systems integration 376%, AI agents 308%, product engineering 295%, AI infrastructure 283%, tool use and development 277%, engineering practices 277%, and AI adoption 276%. Month-over-month increases were electronics 64%, Autodesk Revit 57%, endpoint detection and prevention 51%, creative problem-solving 51%, database management systems 49%, team performance management 48%, data migration 45%, demonstration skills 44%, and fintech 43%.

September IT job postings in U.S. metropolitan areas totaled 19,248 in Washington–Arlington–Alexandria; 16,441 in New York–Newark–Jersey City; 10,966 in Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington; 8,385 in Chicago–Naperville–Elgin; and 8,371 in San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont. The Washington area surpassed New York. New York-area postings fell from more than 20,000 in June to just over 16,000 in September. Postings in Dallas, Chicago, and San Francisco changed little after June.

Dice’s July 2026 report said that 75% of U.S. technology job postings in June required AI skills, a 178% increase from the same month a year earlier. From June 2025 to June 2026, demand for enterprise systems integration skills rose 638%, the largest year-over-year increase. Demand also rose for agentic AI 587%, AI agents 503%, responsible AI 495%, AI infrastructure 366%, and vector databases 353%. Dice said demand for skills connecting agentic systems to existing infrastructure was growing faster than demand for the systems themselves. The report expects technology and non-technology companies alike to seek IT staff to execute AI strategies, and says the IT hiring market is slowly recovering after several years of disruption.

U.S. employers are posting more jobs for AI and machine learning skills. Dice’s September 2026 hiring report found that total U.S. IT job postings rose 17% from September 2025, while postings related to AI and machine learning increased 88%. Their growth was about five times the average increase for all technology job postings. Total U.S. IT postings edged down in August, then rose again in September.

As employees use AI tools more widely and companies set specific adoption goals, demand is also growing for talent in security and finance. Companies further along in AI adoption are focusing on cybersecurity, governance (rules and oversight for managing an organization), responsible and ethical AI use, and financial operations skills for managing AI costs. In September, demand for skills involving Claude, agentic AI (AI systems that can take actions toward goals), enterprise systems integration, and responsible AI rose both year over year and month over month. A June survey showed a similar trend.

In September, electronics was the fastest-growing technology field since July, and demand for managing AI systems also increased. More postings sought creative problem-solving, team performance management, and demonstration skills. Demand for endpoint detection and prevention and fintech skills also rose from the previous month. Dice recorded these year-over-year increases over the past year: Claude AI 1,033%, agentic AI 446%, responsible AI 401%, enterprise systems integration 376%, AI agents 308%, product engineering 295%, AI infrastructure 283%, tool use and development 277%, engineering practices 277%, and AI adoption 276%. Month-over-month increases were electronics 64%, Autodesk Revit 57%, endpoint detection and prevention 51%, creative problem-solving 51%, database management systems 49%, team performance management 48%, data migration 45%, demonstration skills 44%, and fintech 43%.

September IT job postings in U.S. metropolitan areas totaled 19,248 in Washington–Arlington–Alexandria; 16,441 in New York–Newark–Jersey City; 10,966 in Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington; 8,385 in Chicago–Naperville–Elgin; and 8,371 in San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont. The Washington area surpassed New York. New York-area postings fell from more than 20,000 in June to just over 16,000 in September. Postings in Dallas, Chicago, and San Francisco changed little after June.

Dice’s July 2026 report said that 75% of U.S. technology job postings in June required AI skills, a 178% increase from the same month a year earlier. From June 2025 to June 2026, demand for enterprise systems integration skills rose 638%, the largest year-over-year increase. Demand also rose for agentic AI 587%, AI agents 503%, responsible AI 495%, AI infrastructure 366%, and vector databases 353%. Dice said demand for skills connecting agentic systems to existing infrastructure was growing faster than demand for the systems themselves. The report expects technology and non-technology companies alike to seek IT staff to execute AI strategies, and says the IT hiring market is slowly recovering after several years of disruption.