AI-based Online Vacancies - Trends and Differences between SMEs and Larger Enterprises

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is an essential key competence for cost reduction in companies. For this reason, the German government is promoting its use and hopes that it will lead to a digital transformation of companies. We investigated whether small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also participate in this transformation by examining AI-related vacancies for their fields of activity. In particular, we observe whether the required skills of potential applicants suggest that enterprises also require artificial intelligence at an advanced stage and that quality factors such as fairness and ethics play a role. We found that the need for more advanced AI-related jobs has started increasing but still plays a minor role compared to traditional data science roles. Notably, only large companies require some of these additional skills. Moreover, many vacancies even state that a deep AI understanding is not necessarily a prerequisite.