In 2025, AI became officially unavoidable: It had been lurking in the background before, as early adapters experimented with it. But this year, companies invested more than $202 billion in AI, a 75% increase from $114 billion invested in 2024. Major tech companies fought bitterly over AI talent, offering astronomical pay packages.
There was a groundswell of demand for talent, and unsurprisingly this spread to the demand for AI, data science, and engineering jobs, which increased 28% compared to 2024, according to data provided to Fast Company by IT staffing company Mondo. The firm also provided data on the top five jobs that took off in 2025, which we’ve listed by volume of demand.
Some of the jobs are new to Mondo’s dataset. Others saw explosive growth in demand compared to 2024. But they’re all related to AI. There’s a spike in certain jobs’ growth every year, but as we wrap up 2025, it’s clear: This was the year of artificial intelligence.
And the technology isn’t going anywhere. Neither are these jobs:
1. Data Engineer (18% growth)
An AI is only as strong as the data that’s powering it. Accurate and reliable data is a must, and as the demand for AI increases, so does the demand for data engineers who can ensure models are fed the highest-quality data.
2. Analytics Engineer (25% growth)
Analytics engineers ensure that companies can make sense of the data they have and use it to provide actionable insights. They organize data so it’s easier to analyze, apply software engineering best practices to analytics code, and design and maintain data models. They also collaborate with other teams inside the organization to help turn these insights into better decisions.
3. AI Full-Stack Engineer (new)
AI full-stack engineers can create complete AI applications: They can build the front-end user experience, the back-end infrastructure that powers the application, and embed AI as needed. In a world where everyone wants to be on the AI bandwagon, AI full-stack engineers are the next generation of full- stack engineers.
4. AI Solutions Consultant (new)
One of the largest challenges companies deploying AI are facing is understanding where the tech can make a difference. AI solutions consultants serve as a bridge between business leaders and technical teams. They identify use cases for AI, evaluate which tools to employ, and weigh in on how AI should be implemented.
5. AI Business Insights Analyst: (new)
An AI business insights analyst pairs data analysis and insights from AI with the surrounding business context to help leaders understand how to shape their strategy in an ever-changing world.
“The fastest-growing roles sit at the intersection of AI, data infrastructure, and business translation, reflecting employer demand for talent that can deploy, govern, and operationalize AI at scale,” Mondo Stephanie Wernick Barker wrote in an email. “Compared to 2024, employers are hiring fewer ‘generalists’ and more hybrid specialists who combine technical depth with measurable business impact.”
