The rapid expansion of the artificial intelligence sector this year is now sending strong ripples through the job market, with companies aggressively competing for skilled professionals.

New data indicates that in the first half of this year, the number of companies actively recruiting in the AI field grew by 24.8% year-on-year, while the total volume of open AI positions increased by 10.6% during the same period.

Among all roles within the industry, the demand for AI agent developers has seen the most explosive growth. Specifically, in the first half of 2026, the need for these specialized developers surged by 244% compared to the previous year.

Looking at the balance between supply and demand, the current ratio for AI engineers stands at 2.62 to 1. This figure implies that for every single job seeker, there are approximately 2.6 available job offers, highlighting a significant shortfall in the available talent pool.

Field visits by financial media have revealed that professionals capable of bridging the gap between theoretical AI and practical, real-world applications are currently the most sought after. In response, a substantial number of companies are raising salary offers to secure these individuals.

However, the overall employment landscape for this sector shows clear signs of structural divergence. While positions deeply integrated with industrial applications and those addressing immediate needs are receiving significant salary bumps, more traditional and general technical roles are seeing only modest, flat wage growth.

One corporate HR director commented on the trend, stating, "We still anticipate a substantial need for AI talent in the second half of the year, with planned salary increases ranging between 30% and 40%."