Key facts
- Adobe and LinkedIn have launched a new AI training program for marketers.
- The program is offered for free via LinkedIn Learning, covering digital marketing, content creation, social media, communications, data, and analytics.
- Job postings requiring AI literacy have surged 113% year-on-year, yet only 4% of marketing professionals globally have added AI skills to their profiles.
- Employers are increasingly seeking workers who can combine AI expertise with human skills like creativity and decision-making.
- The UK government has invested over £200 million to boost AI adoption and workplace training.
Adobe and LinkedIn have introduced a new AI training program aimed at marketing professionals, responding to a significant increase in demand for AI-skilled workers across industries. The initiative, delivered through LinkedIn Learning, offers specialized courses designed to help marketers leverage AI for tasks such as audience segmentation, campaign creation, content production, and performance analysis.
This collaboration addresses the growing exposure of marketing roles to AI disruption. LinkedIn data reveals a 113% year-on-year rise in job postings that require AI literacy, yet a mere 4% of global marketing professionals have updated their profiles to reflect AI skills. Jessica Jensen, LinkedIn's CMO, emphasized that AI is now 'mission-critical' for marketers, with employers actively seeking candidates who can blend traditional marketing acumen with AI expertise.
Research from PwC indicates that companies in AI-exposed sectors are increasingly expecting entry-level hires to possess skills previously associated with more experienced employees, suggesting AI is reshaping job expectations rather than eliminating roles. Anthropic's findings further highlight marketing specialists and market research analysts as occupations highly susceptible to AI tools, with approximately 65% of their tasks potentially impacted.
Despite earlier concerns about widespread job displacement due to AI, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stated he was 'pretty wrong' about the speed of AI replacing entry-level white-collar jobs, noting that a significant 'jobs apocalypse' has not materialized. Instead, the focus is shifting towards employees who can integrate AI fluency with essential human skills like creativity and critical decision-making.
In parallel, the UK government is actively addressing skills shortages, recently investing over £200 million in AI adoption and workplace training. Skills England has also released new guidance to assist employers in upskilling their workforce. A report by Skills England found that while 44% of workplaces regularly use AI, its adoption is inconsistent, and many businesses struggle to achieve productivity gains due to a lack of employee skills and confidence in using the technology effectively. This comes against a backdrop of a challenging UK jobs market, with LinkedIn data showing a 32% drop in hiring in London and a 24% fall in recruitment across the UK since 2019.