The conversation around artificial intelligence often swings between hype and skepticism — but for the cleared recruiting space, AI is already reshaping the market.
At ClearanceJobs Connect Colorado Springs, DHI Group CEO Art Zeile walked attendees through the numbers. Drawing from Dice’s latest tech jobs data, Zeile explained that more than one-third (36%) of all tech roles now require AI skills, up from just 10% a year ago. That demand comes with a major payoff: professionals with AI expertise are seeing, on average, a 25% compensation premium.
Zeile also shared his personal story — from aspiring astronaut at the Air Force Academy to leading a company at the center of national security and technology hiring. Along the way, he emphasized that AI adoption follows a familiar historical pattern: calculators, spreadsheets, and laptops didn’t eliminate jobs, they created new categories of workers. AI, he argued, will do the same.
One major shift? The rise of “AI orchestrators” — engineers and consultants who can apply AI tools to business processes. Unlike last year’s focus on model-builders, today’s hiring managers want professionals who can embed AI into workflows and deliver results.
For recruiters, the message is clear: building AI fluency into cleared hiring strategies isn’t optional. Certifications, partnerships with community colleges, and upskilling programs will be critical to meeting demand in an industry where clearances are already scarce.
“AI isn’t a fad,” Zeile concluded. “It’s the skillset that will define cleared careers for the next decade.”
