Top tech jobs 2026: 5 of the fastest-growing tech, AI careers

Source: Mashable Tech

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable / Adobe Stock

By Rebecca Ruiz | Chase DiBenedetto
Published on February 7, 2026

The AI Talent Race

As the tech industry goes all‑in on artificial intelligence, many of the most in‑demand U.S. jobs focus on AI engineering, consulting, and research.

Major players such as OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and Google are competing for talent, but smaller firms, startups, and non‑tech businesses also need high‑quality AI professionals.

Employers now seek individuals who can move beyond early AI adoption to deeper integration and product launches.

“Organizations are increasingly pairing technical AI roles with human‑centered, governance, and operational titles,” said Christina Mancini, CEO of Black Girls Code. “The shift reflects a move from simply experimenting with AI to using it deliberately and responsibly.”

This shift fuels growing demand for AI consultants and strategists. The role, along with four other tech titles, recently appeared on LinkedIn’s annual roundup of the 25 fastest‑growing roles in the United States.

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1. AI Engineers

The fastest‑growing role in the United States, according to LinkedIn, is AI Engineer.

What they do

• Design and train machine‑learning models (including large language models).
• Build production infrastructure to serve AI agents at scale.
• Optimize model performance and fine‑tune outputs for specific applications (e.g., generative chatbots, robotic control).

Required skills

• Strong programming background (Python, TensorFlow/PyTorch, cloud platforms).
• Deep understanding of mathematics and statistics (linear algebra, probability, optimization).
• Experience with data pipelines, model deployment, and monitoring.

Compensation

• Estimated median salary: $145,080 per year (based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, as reported by Coursera).

Sources: LinkedIn job‑growth report; Coursera salary analysis.

2. AI Consultants and Strategists

The second‑fastest‑growing role focuses on organizational implementation of AI. Successful consultants and strategists typically combine:

• Technical expertise – computer science, machine learning, data engineering, etc.
• Business acumen – strategy, operations, and ROI understanding.

Core Responsibilities

• Guide companies in adopting AI to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
• Manage AI‑related projects from conception to delivery.
• Develop long‑term AI roadmaps and integration plans.
• Establish ethical, responsible, and compliant AI practices.

Compensation

Note: Salaries vary by region, industry, and individual experience.

3. Data Annotators

Building and training machine‑learning models often requires data annotators (also called content analysts). Ranked as the fourth‑fastest‑growing job by LinkedIn, annotators add labels or tags to raw data, articles, social‑media posts, customer reviews, images, and videos, providing the context AI models need.

• Entry‑level pay: ~ $20 / hour
• Specialized/AI‑expert pay: $100 – $180 / hour (e.g., medical data) – LinkedIn source

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable / Getty Images

4. Artificial Intelligence and Machine‑Learning Researchers

Private‑research roles have boomed as institutions expand internal teams dedicated to generative AI. Researchers design and test new models, algorithms, and applications, ranking fifth among the fastest‑growing U.S. roles per LinkedIn.

Key Industry Examples

• Apple – The Apple AI/ML research team publishes papers and hosts conferences on deep learning.
• Google – Over 1,700 open positions across its research groups focus on AI for security, advertising, search, and optimization. See the full list here.

Geographic & Demographic Insights

• Top locations: San Francisco, New York City, and Boston.
• Gender split: 74 % of positions are held by men.
• Experience level: Average candidate has about three years of prior experience.

Compensation

• Median salary for AI/ML research roles is in the six‑figure range.
• ZipRecruiter reports a median annual salary of $130,000 for AI/ML research scientists.

Sources: LinkedIn Emerging Jobs Report; Apple Machine Learning site; Google Careers; ZipRecruiter salary data.

5. Data Center Technicians

In 2025, $61 billion was invested in data‑center infrastructure worldwide (S&P Global). The surge is driven in part by the energy‑intensive demands of generative AI, with funding from major tech firms, private‑equity debt, and federal‑government support (Reuters).

Hardware specialists, including technicians (Coursera), are now in high demand. Their responsibilities include:

• Installing and maintaining servers
• Organising cable‑patch plans
• Continuously monitoring the physical network that powers global services

LinkedIn data shows most of these workers previously held IT or data‑center operations roles, and median salaries hover around $68,000 (Glassdoor). The majority of openings are concentrated in the Washington, D.C. metro area, Atlanta, and Columbus, Ohio—regions that overlap with rapidly growing U.S. data‑center hubs (Data Center Map).

Authors

Rebecca Ruiz

Senior Reporter at Mashable. She covers mental health, digital culture, and technology, focusing on suicide prevention, screen use, parenting, youth well‑being, and mindfulness. Prior experience includes roles at NBC News Digital and Forbes. Rebecca holds a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a master’s degree from UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Chase DiBenedetto

Social Good Reporter at Mashable. She reports on digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation, often exploring intersections with politics, pop culture, and fandom.

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