Many jobs are seeking “AI literate” candidates but the vague term may be confusing for people seeking job opportunities in a technologically advancing workforce.
Artificial intelligence has become more popular as tech companies make their models more sophisticated. Now, people can simply use a chatbot to come up with a dinner recipe, ask for the best vacation spots or help solve a debate over whether a hot dog is a sandwich.
While AI has made strides in changing the way people interact with computers in their personal lives it is also known for the advancements it has made in the business sector.
Randy Bean, a long-time advisor to corporations on data and AI leadership, said an industry survey published this year suggested, “We are experiencing a once-in-a-generation transformational moment, akin to the founding of the internet in the 1990s,” in the Harvard Business Review last January.
The 2025 AI & Data Leadership Executive Benchmark Survey, which Bean first launched over a decade ago, found more than 98 percent of organizations said they were increasing investments in AI and data, and nearly 94 percent said they’ve seen some business value from their AI investment.
As more companies see value in AI, it is becoming more commonplace for them to seek job candidates who have some level of skill using AI, even if they are applying for nontechnical positions.
“There’s not some universal standard for AI fluency, unfortunately,” Hannah Calhoon, vice president of AI at job search company Indeed, told The Washington Post in a recent article.
But she said, “you’ll continue to see an accelerating increase in employers looking for AI skills.”
Zapier, a workflow automation platform, is making AI skills a requirement for all new employees.
“For us, being capable is the bar. You have to be at least that to get hired,” Zapier CEO Wade Foster told The Washington Post.
An example of being AI capable that Foster showcased is a marketing employee who uses the technology to make social posts and edit by hand.
Julia Cheek, the founder and CEO of Austin-based digital health company Everlywell, gave an example of how a candidate could use personal experiences with AI and apply them to the role they want.
A candidate for a social media manager could mention how they have used AI tools on Canva or Photoshop to create memes and then explain how the technology could accelerate development of content for the position, Cheek told The Washington Post.
There is hope for job seekers who may be late to the AI game, as some employers say they won’t eliminate candidates solely because of a lack of experience with the technology, according to the publication.
Blair Ciesil, co-leader of management consulting firm McKinsey & Co.’s global talent attraction group, told The Washington Post, “What’s more important are the qualities around adaptability and learning mindset. People willing to fail and pick themselves up.”
