Short answer: yes, demand for specialist AI roles in the UK is growing, but the picture is mixed. Overall AI vacancies fell in 2023, and the wider UK jobs market has been soft. Demand is strongest for engineers and product managers with practical AI skills, and most roles are in London.
What the government vacancy data shows
- An estimated 448,484 UK job postings, or 1.7% of all postings, were related to AI between 2021 and 2023.
- Of these, 26% were for technical “AI Specialists” and 12% for highly technical “AI Experts”.
- Demand fell in 2023: AI Experts down 47%, AI Specialists down 29% and AI Implementers down 38%.
- London accounted for 44% of AI specialist postings in 2023. Cambridge, Bristol, Oxford, Manchester and Reading also show strong demand.
- The share of AI roles that are remote fell from 32% in 2021 to 18% in 2023 for expert roles.
What the 2026 hiring data shows
- Between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, demand for AI engineer roles rose 81% and for AI product managers 80%, according to a staffing firm’s job-posting data.
- Demand for machine learning engineers grew more slowly, at 24%.
- Over the same broader period, British companies posted about 10% fewer jobs in July than in January 2025, so AI demand sits within a softer overall market.
What AI roles pay
Indeed’s UK career guide gives a national average salary of £59,086 a year for a deep learning engineer. Pay varies widely by seniority, sector and location, so treat this as one reference point.
Where the skills gap is
Wikipedia describes a critical skills shortage in the UK AI sector, particularly in technical roles and in understanding AI concepts.
Frequently asked questions
Are AI jobs growing in the UK?
Specialist roles are growing in 2026. Overall AI vacancies fell in 2023 after rising between 2021 and 2022.
Where are most AI jobs in the UK?
London had 44% of AI specialist postings in 2023. Cambridge, Bristol, Oxford, Manchester and Reading also show strong demand.
How much do AI engineers earn in the UK?
Indeed gives a national average of £59,086 a year for a deep learning engineer. Pay depends on seniority and location.
