LinkedIn Guide to Future-Proofing Your Career: What to know about the UK's evolving jobs and in-demand skills in the age of AI

How likely is artificial intelligence to reshape the way you work? Much depends on your role – some are changing faster than others, LinkedIn data shows. But those roles are also best positioned to harness the technology for greater efficiency, creativity and growth.

LinkedIn's Economic Graph team analysed the most relevant skills for each job function – those most commonly added by workers – and assessed how many of these can be performed by generative AI. The findings suggest that roles undergoing the fastest transformation tend to involve tasks with which AI can already assist, such as writing, data analysis and coding. This includes jobs in fields like media and communications, marketing, human resources, engineering and arts and design.

By contrast, roles that rely heavily on physical presence or interpersonal interaction are likely to change at a slower pace. Yet, even these professions are expected to shift as AI tools become more embedded in day-to-day workflows. Examples include real estate, entrepreneurship, community and social services, healthcare services and operations.

Journalist Harriet Meyer, who provides AI training for media professionals, has observed the speed of research and content production increase sharply in the industry. “Journalists and PRs are now using AI to scan reports and pull out angles in minutes, generate multiple story formats from one draft, and manage campaign hubs in tools like ChatGPT Projects,” she says. “But perhaps the bigger change is cultural, as many teams are moving from experimenting with AI on the side to integrating it into daily routines.”

To keep pace, professionals must stay curious and upskill proactively. “Continuous learning isn’t optional anymore. You can’t ignore AI, it’s like ignoring the internet, except the change AI is bringing to the media industry is far greater,” Meyer says. “The professionals I see getting ahead are those who treat learning as part of the job, not an optional extra.”

UK professionals are generally optimistic about AI. LinkedIn's Workforce Confidence Index shows that a majority of professionals believe it will help reduce the burden of repetitive tasks. Specifically, 53% say AI will eventually take over some of the mundane, manual tasks they currently perform. Additionally, 41% say using AI helps them complete tasks more quickly and boosts their productivity.*

In this period of rapid change, many are considering big moves when it comes to their future career plans: Almost six in 10 UK professionals say they are interested in changing industries.** LinkedIn data also shows most job functions (17 out of 26) in the country saw more professionals entering than leaving over the past year. The most notable increases were in entrepreneurship, legal, finance, healthcare services and real estate. 

Professionals are also seeking to adapt by expanding their expertise. Since late 2022, LinkedIn has observed a 140% increase in the rate at which members are adding new skills to their profiles. AI-specific skills have grown by 35% year-on-year, while AI literacy skills have surged by 100%.

This shift reflects a broader effort to identify which skills will emerge as AI adoption accelerates. Benjamin Laker, professor of leadership at the Henley Business School and an author on the future of work, says the fastest-growing jobs won’t be the most technical – they’ll be the “most bilingual”, combining fluency in AI with fluency in people. 

“Roles will emerge that act as translators between code and culture: decision architects, human–machine collaboration leads and AI ethicists who shape how algorithms interact with human values. The real opportunity lies in becoming the bridge – someone who understands not just how systems work, but how they affect the way people think, decide and act together”, he says.

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The power of soft skills

While AI is reshaping the mix of tasks, human skills remain essential. Nearly four in five professionals (79%) believe that even as AI becomes more advanced, there is no substitute for human intuition and the insights gained from trusted colleagues, according to a Censuswide survey of 19,268 professionals in full-time or part-time employment across 14 countries, including the UK, conducted between April and July.

In the UK, LinkedIn's data shows skills that are rapidly growing include relationship building, strategic thinking, adaptability and conflict resolution. Technology-related skills are also on the rise, especially AI literacy, communication and the use of large language models. Here’s the full list of trending skills by job function, released earlier this year.

Fabian Stephany, an assistant professor in AI and work at the University of Oxford, leads a project called Skill Scale, aimed at exploring shifting labour markets. He says that one of the most striking findings from his studies is the rising demand for human-centered skills. Think ethics, teamwork and resilience. 

“In the UK, US and Australia, we see these skills gaining relevance not only within AI-intensive roles, but also across sectors more broadly, as they represent the comparative advantage of human workers,” he says.

Equally important is the necessity to keep learning, which Stephany describes as the single most important factor for career sustainability. “The half-life of skills is shrinking rapidly, and the old model of front-loading education early in life is no longer sufficient. Staying afloat now means constantly updating both technical capabilities, such as AI-related skills, and human skills, such as collaboration and leadership.”

Benjamin Laker adds that as AI is getting better at doing jobs, humans must get better at being human. “The professionals who rise will be those who can build trust, navigate tension, and help people work together in ways no algorithm can replicate.”

Get more tips on using AI at work by following these voices on LinkedIn.

Reported by: Edson Caldas

Data insights: Danielle Kavanagh-Smith, LinkedIn Economic Graph; Allie Lewis, LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index

Methodology: LinkedIn's Economic Graph analysed millions of anonymised and aggregated member profiles over the last five years to identify the most relevant skills associated with each job function and assess their similarity to skills generative AI can already support. The fastest-growing skills were determined based on three pillars: The rate at which members are adding a skill to their profile, the share of a skill possessed by members who have been hired in the past year and the increased presence of a given skill in paid job postings. LinkedIn's Workforce Confidence survey is a qualitative online survey of LinkedIn members in the UK distributed via email every day and aggregated biweekly. A separate email survey among consumers was conducted by Censuswide on LinkedIn's behalf in 15 countries including the US between April 7 and July 7, 2025. *2,202 professionals in the UK responded to the WCI survey from 22 March to 13 June, 2025. **2,665 professionals in the UK responded to the WCI survey from 14 Dec, 2024 to 21 Mar, 2025.