Should workers be paid for AI skills?

Opens in a new window Opens an external website Opens an external website in a new window This website utilizes technologies such as cookies to enable essential site functionality, as well as for analytics, personalization, and targeted advertising. To learn more, view the following link: Privacy Policy Storage Preferences Skip to main content CONTINUE TO SITE ➞ Informa TechTarget| Channel Dive Cybersecurity Dive InformationWeek TechTarget: IT Strategy Explore our brandsAn Informa TechTarget Publication People also ask Loading questions... An article from Dive Brief Should workers be paid for AI skills? Companies could face a “retention time bomb” if employees see new hires get paid more for tech expertise, Payscale found. Published Sept. 29, 2026 hrdive.com Ginger ChristEditor Share) Copy link) Email LinkedIn X/Twitter Facebook Print) License Add us on Google An AI display stand is seen at the 2026 Hannover Messe industrial trade fair in Hanover, Germany, on April 20, 2026. Nearly a quarter of employers say they consider artificial intelligence fluency an unrewarded baseline skill, per Payscale. Sean Gallup via Getty Images First published on hrdive.com Listen to the article 2 min Audio 2 This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Dive Brief: While nearly a quarter of employers say they consider AI fluency an unrewarded baseline skill, the majority of workers disagree. More than half of the employees surveyed by compensation software company Payscale said they should earn more for developing AI skills, according to a recent report. At the same time, 61% of employers said they’re rewriting job descriptions because of AI, but less than half say their salary structures have kept up with the tech changes. More than 4 in 10 companies say they can’t find talent with the AI skills they need, which means they are likely to pay more for workers who do, Payscale said. That creates a potential “retention time bomb” as “current employees who upskill on AI will watch with resentment as new hires command 20% to 40% premiums they aren’t getting.” Dive Insight: While 58% of companies said they are already paying premiums for AI skills or planning to do so, 19% are keeping their existing compensation structures and 13% are still evaluating their strategy, Payscale found. Only 8% said AI skills “are irrelevant to compensation.” “The vast majority recognize that emergent skills demand rewards,” Payscale found. The tension over compensation has shown up in several recent reports. More than 4 in 10 workers said they think they’re more likely to get a raise by leaving and then rejoining their company than by staying, according to a report from professional services company Marsh. Only 18% said the same in 2024. That same Marsh report found that just 31% of employees said they thought they would be compensated for upskilling. Likewise, a Sept. 16 report from consulting firm Robert Half found that 55% of the more than 440 Generation Z workers surveyed said they intended to look for a new job before the end of the year. Among those, 56% said they want better perks and benefits, and half said their career advancement is currently limited. Add us on Google Share) Copy link) Email LinkedIn X/Twitter Facebook Print) License Filed Under:IT Strategy, AI & Future Tech CIO Dive news delivered to your inbox Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts Editors’ picks ciodive.com Getty Images ### Leaders await ‘significant’ revenue boost from AI by 2030 Investments to fuel the technology will soar over the next four years, but executives fear integration issues will hinder adoption, according to an IBM study. By Makenzie Holland • Jan. 21, 2026 ciodive.com Getty Images ### AI is changing how work gets done. Here’s how CIOs can help Operations are rapidly evolving amid AI adoption, shifting job categories and responsibilities in the process. CIOs can rely on their tech know-how to usher in change. By Roberto Torres • Jan. 30, 2026 CIO Dive news delivered to your inbox Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts Company Announcements View all | Post a press release SCOUTz Prospect Intelligence Platform Launches for MSPs with 30-Day Beta From SCOUTz September 22, 2026AND Digital launches AWS-powered Intelligent Document Processing Solution to Unlock Data Trapp… From AND Digital September 17, 2026Echelon Risk + Cyber Launches AI Secure, a Comprehensive Managed AI Security Program From Echelon Risk + Cyber September 16, 2026Nutrient Data Extraction API launches for source-grounded, production-ready document AI From Nutrient September 10, 2026 Editors’ picks ciodive.com Getty Images ### Leaders await ‘significant’ revenue boost from AI by 2030 Investments to fuel the technology will soar over the next four years, but executives fear integration issues will hinder adoption, according to an IBM study. By Makenzie Holland • Jan. 21, 2026 ciodive.com Getty Images ### AI is changing how work gets done. Here’s how CIOs can help Operations are rapidly evolving amid AI adoption, shifting job categories and responsibilities in the process. CIOs can rely on their tech know-how to usher in change. By Roberto Torres • Jan. 30, 2026 Latest in IT Strategy ciodive.com Should workers be paid for AI skills? By Ginger Christ ciodive.com Nvidia bakes agent governance into infrastructure layer By Makenzie Holland ciodive.com Meta carves out enterprise offerings, brings in new leadership By Paige Gross ciodive.com Capital One’s agentic AI strategy hinges on data, platform-first mindset By Makenzie Holland * * linkedin.com facebook.com twitter.com ciodive.com Explore About Editorial Team Contact Us Newsletter Purchase Licensing Rights Press Releases What We’re Reading Reach our audience Advertising Post a press release Submit an opinion piece Promote an event Related Publications Channel Dive Cybersecurity Dive InformationWeek TechTarget: IT Strategy * * informatechtarget.com This website is owned and operated by Informa TechTarget, a global network that informs, influences and connects the world’s technology buyers and sellers. © 2025 TechTarget, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. An Informa PLC company. Privacy policy | Terms of use | Take down policy | Cookie Preferences / Do Not Sell × How enterprises are managing AI costs As AI adoption matures, infrastructure spending is set to double this year. Explore how leaders are using FinOps practices to control mounting AI bills in this Trendline.