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

A large body of research literature shows that
technological change has a significant impact on
labour markets, as modern digital technologies are
changing the demand for certain skills. On the one
hand, new technologies can replace some human
activities. On the other hand, they can create or complement
new activities (Acemoglu et al., 2015; Acemoglu
& Restrepo, 2018, 2019, 2020). With the proliferation
of artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years,
certain questions are becoming increasingly important
in public debate and research: Is the demand for
AI skills also growing on the German labour market?
Does the increasing demand for AI skills mean that
other skills - among low, medium and highly qualified
workers - are less in demand? The aim of this
research project is to create a reliable data basis in
order to be able to answer such questions in a more
informed way in the future.
Developments in generative AI, particularly tools
such as ChatGPT, have significantly intensified the
discussion about the impact of AI on the labour market,
both in academia and in public debate and policy.
While computers and software have transformed
the world of work by performing routine tasks more
precisely and efficiently, modern AI systems can now
take on complex, non-routine tasks without relying on
detailed instructions or repetitive rules (Brynjolfsson
et al., 2025). As a result, many are optimistic about the
productive potential of this new technology. Others,
however, fear that AI could disrupt labour markets.
In the course of the intensive scientific and public
debate on AI, there is a growing body of literature
that deals with the effects of AI on labour markets.
These initially focus on specific occupations such
as call centre workers (Brynjolfsson et al., 2025, Dijksman
et al., 2024), consultants (Dell’ et al., 2023),
writers or developers (Peng et al., 2023). However, a
major challenge is to measure how the demand for
and supply of skills has changed in the wake of the
emergence of AI.