AI proficiency—which includes understanding how artificial intelligence works, how to use AI across different functions, and building or training AI models—now ranks as a top tech skill employers want to recruit for in 2025.
According to Robert Half’s latest Demand for Skilled Talent report, many technology leaders are focused on AI, machine learning and automation initiatives this year. However, 44% report a skills gap within AI, machine learning and data science in their departments.
For tech and IT professionals looking to advance their careers, demonstrating AI proficiency can offer a competitive edge in today’s labor market. But possessing AIOps skills can provide an even greater advantage.
AIOps Skills: How AI Operations Expertise Can Help Advance Your IT Career
What are AIOps skills?
AIOps stands for “artificial intelligence for IT operations”—and AIOps skills are a specialized subset of AI proficiency. These skills focus on applying AI and machine learning tools to monitor, manage and optimize IT systems. They combine knowledge of IT infrastructure, data analysis, automation and AI fundamentals to help organizations detect issues faster, reduce downtime and improve overall performance.
Before we examine in-demand technology roles where AIOps skills can be especially beneficial, let’s look at what AIOps tools are and why companies are adopting them.
What are AIOps tools—and how do they support IT teams?
AIOps tools can gather and analyze vast amounts of data across IT environments—including server logs, performance metrics and user tickets. They use machine learning to automatically detect patterns, identify issues and correlate seemingly unrelated events to pinpoint root causes.
Think of AIOps as an intelligent assistant that handles routine monitoring tasks and offers real-time insights so IT teams can focus on higher-impact work. Instead of spending hours manually reviewing system alerts and logs, IT professionals who understand how to use AIOps tools can resolve issues faster and prevent future disruptions.
Mastering these capabilities can lead to career advancement in the IT field. When a critical system slows down, professionals with AIOps skills can quickly identify the source of the problem—demonstrating the kind of strategic value that employers will notice and reward.
Why companies across industries are adopting AIOps tools
AIOps isn’t just for Silicon Valley tech giants. Organizations in finance, healthcare, retail and many other sectors are embracing AIOps tools to strengthen their IT operations and support key business goals, including:
Advancing digital transformation priorities
As websites and apps are central to many companies’ success, they need reliable systems and skilled teams to help keep them running smoothly. Leveraging AIOps tools can help prevent outages and ensure peak performance.
Taming system complexity
Modern IT environments are built on a mix of cloud services, microservices and container platforms, all of which generate massive volumes of data. Traditional monitoring tools struggle to keep up, but AIOps can help teams cut through the noise and make sense of complex systems.
Resolving IT issues faster
When systems fail, traditional troubleshooting can take hours—time most companies can’t afford, especially when service-level agreements are on the line. AIOps tools help teams quickly identify root causes and resolve issues in minutes instead of hours.
In-demand roles that can benefit from AIOps skills
So, where can you apply AIOps skills in your technology career? Consider these roles:
Cloud engineers and architects: Layering AIOps skills onto your cloud expertise means building smarter and more resilient systems—ones that can automatically scale, self-monitor and flag issues before users notice. Whether you’re working in AWS, Azure or Google Cloud, these skills can make you indispensable to employers aiming for high-performance, low-maintenance infrastructure.
DevOps and site reliability engineers: AIOps helps you build systems that practically maintain themselves. By using automation to anticipate and prevent outages, you can keep services running smoothly—and position yourself as an essential player on any high-functioning tech team.
IT operations managers: By integrating AI-powered processes into your team’s workflow, you can reduce manual effort, boost response times and drive more consistent performance. Leading these improvements helps position you as a problem solver and forward-thinking leader ready for the next step in your career.
Data analysts in IT operations: Like working with data? Roles such as AIOps data scientist are starting to emerge, requiring professionals with IT knowledge and data science skills who can train and refine the AI models powering modern IT systems.
Cybersecurity professionals: AIOps tools can enhance threat detection and response by analyzing security events in real time, spotting anomalies and reducing alert fatigue. Security analysts and engineers who understand how to apply AIOps for cybersecurity can prioritize threats more effectively and respond to incidents faster.
Explore more of the top in-demand tech roles and hiring trends for 2025.
Key skills to add to your tech and IT resume
If you want to catch a recruiter’s eye, here are some skills worth highlighting, as they pair well with AI proficiency and AIOps:
IT infrastructure know-how: Show that you understand how systems work together. Employers need people who can look at what AIOps tools report and understand what that information means for their networks, servers and cloud platforms.
Data interpretation skills: You don’t need to be a data scientist to work with AI or AIOps tools, but you should be comfortable looking at charts, logs and metrics to spot trends. For example, can you tell the difference between normal system behavior and something that needs attention? That’s valuable.
Basic programming abilities: Even simple Python scripts can automate repetitive tasks. Knowing how to write code that connects different systems through APIs will put you ahead of candidates who only know point-and-click interfaces.
AI fundamentals: It may sound obvious, but understanding basic concepts helps you work better with AI-powered tools. Know enough to configure systems properly and explain to others how the technology makes decisions.
Critical-thinking skills: AIOps tools provide insights, but you still need good judgment when working with them. Can you take what the system tells you and make swift, strategic decisions? This human element remains crucial.
Adding these skills to your LinkedIn profile or resume can help you land interviews—and position you for roles that combine good compensation with challenging and interesting work. The best part? Many AIOps skills build on IT knowledge you might already have.
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Career outlook for tech talent with AIOps skills
The job market for professionals with AIOps skills is promising. With most enterprises planning to adopt these technologies soon, organizations need professionals who can deploy, configure and manage their implementations.
Most IT departments face a significant talent shortage when it comes to AI expertise. By building AIOps knowledge now, you can position yourself as the go-to person for these critical initiatives. Becoming a professional who can guide an entire operations strategy naturally leads to better compensation and career opportunities beyond simply having an in-demand skill.
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With AIOps skills, it helps you become an essential professional, setting yourself up for long-term success in a field where human expertise and artificial intelligence work hand in hand. Browse Robert Half’s job listings for AI-related positions and discover where your IT skills can take you.
