Hire With Near Data: AI Skill Requirements Spread Beyond Engineering into Finance, Marketing, and Sales

NewsData.io · United States · Jul 31, 2026

A Hire With Near analysis of 2,100 job postings from June 2025 to June 2026 found AI skill requirements rising across all major departments, with finance seeing the steepest jump — nearly doubling from 8% to 16% of roles in six months. Engineering, marketing, and sales also recorded significant increases, while general automation language in job descriptions actually declined slightly, suggesting employers are targeting specific AI tool proficiency rather than broad automation familiarity. Mentions of next-generation AI assistants like Claude, Copilot, and Gemini more than doubled year-over-year, though overall figures remain small. For staffing firms, the data signals that AI screening criteria are becoming standard across candidate vetting in non-technical roles.