Key Points
- In Australia, 0.06% of job postings are related to generative AI — a small but rapidly growing number.
- The creation of generative AI jobs has been concentrated in New South Wales and Victoria, reflecting the concentration of the tech sector in the nation’s two largest cities.
- There were more than 100 different occupations with at least one job posting referencing generative AI in the September quarter. Generative AI is most commonly referenced in job postings for data scientists and machine learning engineers.
Artificial Intelligence has rapidly evolved over the past few years — especially generative artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, based on large language models that create the illusion of real intelligence via their ability to consume and produce content. These tools have the potential to fundamentally change how many Australians work.
Indeed recently released a report documenting the work skills that generative AI tools can and cannot currently do well. They display a high level of proficiency in the use of communication and language, along with a range of technical skills, but aren’t particularly useful in roles that require more hands-on and/or face-to-face interpersonal skills.
While the ultimate, long-term impact of these tools remains to be seen, employers are already hiring for AI-specific roles — either developing generative AI tools, or explicitly using them. These jobs aren’t yet common, having only emerged this year, but they are increasing rapidly. So far the creation of these jobs has been concentrated almost entirely in New South Wales and Victoria.
Jobs utilising generative AI increased significantly in 2023
By the end of September, 0.06% of Australian job postings on Indeed were related to generative AI. Now that’s not a big number — just one in every 1,800 postings — but it is a rapidly increasing one. The posting share more than doubled during the September quarter, after tripling during the June quarter.
These jobs are heavily concentrated in New South Wales and Victoria. Combined, they account for 86% of job postings related to generative AI in the September quarter, compared to 63% of overall Australian job postings. The share of postings related to generative AI in New South Wales is more than four-times higher than Queensland and Western Australia.
Generative AI concentrated in the tech sector
Generative AI tools can be utilised in different ways, and that is already reflected in the types of jobs we see on Indeed.
Around 9.1% of data scientist roles refer to generative AI in their job descriptions, compared to 6.2% of machine learning engineers. Both of these occupations, along with others such as full stack developer and platform engineer, are in the business of developing generative AI tools.
By comparison, generative AI is also relatively common in roles where these tools are used to enhance or augment a worker’s existing workflow. That’s certainly true of communication specialists, sales specialists and even content writers.
While generative AI jobs are understandably dominated by the tech sector, it is notable that in the September quarter alone there were more than 100 different occupations with at least one job posting that mentioned generative AI, up from almost 60 different occupations in the June quarter.
Conclusion
Australian businesses are taking their tentative first steps in embracing generative AI in the workplace, utilising these tools across a growing range of occupations. While postings referring to generative AI are far from common, they are rising rapidly and we expect that upward trend to continue next year.
Methodology
The analysis involved extracting job postings directly related to Generative AI, using specific keywords indicating its presence, such as “Generative AI”, “Large Language Models”, and “Chat GPT”.
Time-series postings data is presented as a 7-day moving average. State and occupation postings data is presented for the September quarter.
