Exclusive: Workers race to upskill in AI
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Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
AI learning is exploding across job functions, according to new data from online learning platform Udemy.
Why it matters: Employers and employees now see upskilling as key to the future of work, where jobs are disrupted and eliminated by AI.
The big picture: Employees across industries and job functions are racing to acquire AI skills, according to Udemy's annual 2026 Global Learning & Skills Trends Report, based on data from more than 1 million users.
- As one often repeated aphorism puts it: You won't lose your job to AI, you'll lose it to someone who knows how to use AI.
By the numbers: AI topics were among the fastest-growing skills on Udemy's learning platform.
- The demand for GitHub Copilot skills increased 13,534% year over year.
- Microsoft Copilot learning for business increased 3,400% year over year.
- AI agents and agentic AI was the "most learned" among new AI topics.
Between the lines: It's not just chatbot tutorials. Learning how to use AI responsibly means understanding its capabilities along with its risks, limitations, and ethical concerns.
- "AI ethics and governance" was the sixth-most consumed AI topic on Udemy Business.
The other side: Many workers see learning AI as a burden equal to another job, per a recent LinkedIn report.
- Nearly half of workers (47%) say they're not using AI to its fullest capability, 33% say they're embarrassed about how little they understand AI and 30% say they rarely or never use it.
The bottom line: There's still demand for human skills. Adaptive or "soft" skills like critical thinking and resilience remain essential.
- Adaptive skills learning grew 25% year over year, making it one of the top four fastest-growing communication skills.
Go deeper: AI job anxiety: It's real, and coming at the worst time
