MOSCOW, March 17 – A new study reveals a sharp turn in the Russian labor market: the demand for artificial intelligence skills has nearly tripled in the past year. According to a joint report by the hh.ru job platform and PR DEV agency, analyzed by Gazeta.ru, employers posted over 16,500 vacancies in Q1 2026 listing AI tool proficiency as a key requirement. This marks a 2.7-fold increase from the same period in 2025.

The shift is no longer confined to the tech sector. Job postings in fields from analytics and project management to marketing and creative roles now routinely include AI competency. The data shows client managers lead in demand, accounting for 18% of all AI-related mentions in vacancies, followed by internet marketers, financial analysts, content managers, and programmers, each at around 5%.

"Two or three years ago, neural network skills were a bonus, mainly for IT staff," said Alla Aksenova, an expert at PR DEV. "Today, employers increasingly expect employees to use AI for analysis, text and visual content creation, and process optimization. We are witnessing the emergence of a new universal skill, becoming a standard for many professions."

The figures signal a fundamental change. AI is rapidly transitioning from a specialized advantage to a baseline tool, reshaping hiring criteria across the professional spectrum in Russia.

Source: RIA Novosti