New data from Indeed shows that job seekers are increasingly looking for AI-related roles, with searches for those jobs growing 11-fold since the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022. This increase is outpacing overall job search activity, which is roughly in line with late 2022 levels, a period marked by a large wave of job switching often referred to as the Great Resignation.
Even with this type of growth, searches for AI roles remain relatively small, accounting for less than 1% of all searches in early 2026. Compare this with the Indeed AI Tracker, which uses a broader pool of keywords and shows that nearly 5% of all job postings mentioned AI or an adjacent skill requirement at the end of February 2026.
However, even when tracking searches using keywords identical to those used in the AI tracker, the report shows fewer searches than postings in early 2026. In other words, job seekers are increasingly looking for artificial intelligence roles on Indeed, but the demand for those skills is outpacing the number of people directly searching for them.
Earlier this year job searches on Indeed were up to 31% higher in January 2026, compared to the early-December 2025 average. While seasonal and blue-collar sectors saw posting declines in January, relative to early December, a range of professional fields posted modest gains exceeding 5%.
Market leverage in the labor market has shifted to employers, with job openings per unemployed persons now below 1.0, and time-to-hire lengthening as companies can afford to be selective in hiring, according to Indeed.
Indeed's real-time data show that workers are increasingly aware of AI and interested in roles that use it. It's possible that new model releases and viral moments have driven some of the early interest in AI, but persistent growth since the spring of 2025 suggests that AI is becoming more mainstream.
As new products emerge, Indeed says we should expect searches for AI-related postings to rise. But if the steady climb since spring 2025 is any indication, AI is moving past the era of viral curiosity and into something much more durable.
(Photo credit: pathdoc/Adobe Stock)
This article originally appeared on BenefitsPro and may not be reprinted.
© Touchpoint Markets, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.