How can we better measure the demand for AI and other skills on the labour market?

Abstract

This policy brief presents a novel approach to understanding how the demand for AI and other skills is evolving in the labour market. With the rapid proliferation of digital and generative AI technologies, assessing their impact on employment and skills requirements has become increasingly important for researchers and policymakers alike. However, traditional labour market data sources often lack the granularity and timeliness needed to analyse these changes effectively.

The brief outlines the efforts of a collaborative research team from IAB Nuremberg, ROA Maastricht, FAU Nuremberg, IWH Halle and Stanford University to link detailed online job advertisement data from Lightcast with administrative social security data from the German Federal Employment Agency. This linkage enables a deeper analysis of how AI-related skills are being demanded across sectors and company types, and whether this is associated with broader changes in employment patterns.

Janssen, S., Langer, C., Nagler, M., Rounding, N., Stops, M., & Wiederhold, S. (2025). How can we better measure the demand for AI and other skills on the labour market? (pp. 1-5). ROA External Reports Vol. 10