AI and soft skills: Evidence from EU job postings

In-depth AI knowledge goes beyond the general AI knowledge required to use AI applications effectively, instead enabling employees to develop or adapt AI-based solutions themselves, for example. The demand for in-depth AI skills is measured based on explicit mentions of AI-related terms in online job postings – ranging from core AI concepts such as “machine learning” to the names of specific AI tools, frameworks or libraries identified via a multilingual, rule-based classification model applied across all EU countries (Büchel et al., 2026a). The growing share of job postings with in-depth AI knowledge indicates that AI-related requirements have become more prominent in labour market demand. From the perspective of job seekers and the education and vocational training system, it is important to analyse the specific AI-related skill demand. This includes not only technical skills, for developing AI applications, for example, but also skills that complement AI use at work.