AI Job Postings Hit All-Time High While Broader US Hiring Remains Weak

Summary

The Indeed Hiring Lab published its January 2026 US Labor Market Update on January 22, revealing a stark divergence in the job market: positions mentioning AI or related terms surged 134% above pre-pandemic February 2020 baseline levels, while overall US job postings stood at only 6% above those same levels. The Indeed AI Tracker reached an all-time high of 4.2% in December 2025, the strongest share since tracking began in 2019. Sector-specific data shows AI penetration varying significantly: d