AI Shifts Job Market Demand Beyond Technical Skills

Employers are looking for more than technical proficiency, placing greater emphasis on specialist knowledge, analytical thinking and decision-making. For fresh graduates, the challenge is how to gain experience as AI takes on more routine tasks. Artificial intelligence is changing how people work across a wide range of professions, from researching information and writing content to preparing reports and conducting basic data analysis. Tasks that once took hours can now be completed much faster with AI tools. But for jobseekers, an important question remains: as AI becomes capable of doing more, what skills do employers still need from people? An analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), presented during the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok from 12 to 18 October 2026, found that hiring demand in occupations highly exposed to AI fell by about 10% before beginning to stabilise, even as AI capabilities continued to advance. The analysis drew on millions of online job advertisements across Asia. The trend suggests that AI is changing not only how work is done, but also the qualifications employers look for in candidates. Relevant knowledge remains essential, but the ability to use new tools and turn their outputs into practical results is becoming increasingly important. Knowing how to use AI is not enough Natthawat Thanatphongjira, Senior Account Manager at Workwise Consulting, said demand for AI-related skills was increasingly appearing in job requirements provided by clients seeking recruitment services. These requirements were no longer limited to information technology positions. They were also appearing in marketing, sales, human resources and some office-based roles. However, being able to use AI does not necessarily mean a candidate can meet all an employer's expectations. AI tools can quickly retrieve information, suggest answers and conduct preliminary analysis, but people are still needed to check whether the results are accurate and appropriate for real-world situations. "AI can analyse data or suggest answers very quickly, but ultimately someone still has to check whether those answers actually work," Natthawat said.

For example, marketing staff may use AI to research information and draft content, but they still need to assess whether it suits their target audience and business objectives. Employees responsible for coordination may use tools to summarise sales or stock data, but they must still spot irregularities and know which department to contact to follow up on problems. The skills employers seek therefore extend beyond familiarity with AI tools. They also include specialist knowledge, analytical thinking, data verification and the ability to decide how to use the results. Fresh graduates may face a tougher challenge Fresh graduates and people with just one to three years of work experience are among the groups worth watching closely. Tasks that once provided an entry point for learning in the workplace, such as