The wider UK jobs market has been tough in 2026, but AI hiring has kept growing. PwC's 2026 AI Jobs Barometer found that specialist AI job postings in the UK rose 61% in 2025, to around 180,000, while overall vacancies fell 6.6%. Jobs that need AI skills also advertised an average wage premium of 34%.
Indeed's data tells the same story. By the end of June 2026, AI tools and skills were mentioned in a record 9.4% of UK job postings, even though total postings were down 11% since the start of the year.
Fewer jobs overall, but more of them want AI skills, and they pay more for them. Here is what employers are asking for.
1. Python and strong fundamentals
Python is still the most requested specialist skill in AI job ads, according to the Stanford AI Index 2026. Interviews still test SQL, statistics and clean code, even for roles built around large language models. Get these right first.
2. Building with large language models
Most new AI roles involve building products on top of existing models rather than training them from scratch. Employers want people who can design prompts, build retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines and, just as importantly, measure whether the output is any good.
3. Agentic AI
AI agents that plan and carry out multi-step tasks are the fastest-growing area. In the US, job ads mentioning agentic AI skills rose by more than 280% between 2024 and 2025. Experience with tool calling, orchestration frameworks and guardrails stands out on a CV.
4. MLOps and deployment
A model on a laptop isn't a product. Docker, a major cloud platform (AWS, Azure or Google Cloud), CI/CD, monitoring and cost control are what turn a prototype into something a business can rely on.
5. Data engineering
AI is only as good as its data. SQL, data pipelines and tools such as dbt and Spark remain in steady demand, and they are a common route into AI teams.
6. Responsible AI
With rules such as the EU AI Act being phased in, employers need people who understand bias testing, documentation and risk assessment. It is now part of shipping AI properly, not a niche.
7. Judgement and communication
Employers surveyed by the Institute of Student Employers say they now value critical thinking, judgement, adaptability and communication more, because AI is taking over routine tasks like basic research and drafting. Being able to explain a technical decision to a non-technical manager is a real advantage.
How to show these skills
- Build one or two complete projects, deployed and documented, rather than lots of tutorials.
- Link to your code or a live demo from your CV.
- Describe outcomes: what you built, what it improved and how you measured it.
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