ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND LABOR DEMAND IN ROMANIA: EARLY EVIDENCE FROM ONLINE JOB POSTINGS

Abstract

The rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is expected to reshape labour demand, yet empirical evidence for emerging European economies remains limited. This paper examines short-run trends in AI-related labour demand in Romania using a high-frequency dataset of 1,874 online job postings from October 2025 to March 2026. Adopting Web Labour Market Information (LMI) approach, the study aims to elucidate the structural characteristics and professional archetypes of AI diffusion in Romanian economy. Results highlight increasing concentration of AI-related labour demand in service sector (35,8%) and a transition towards standardized production phase characterized by a robust technical middle class. Evidence reveals a shift toward skills-based hiring behaviour, where 54% of vacancies do not require a formal degree. Furthermore, the market exhibits signs of opportunistic upskilling, where employers are raising entry barriers. Hard skills were found to be the strongest predictor of the number of years of professional experience required for a position, whereas soft skills showed no statistically significant impact on the seniority level. The objective of the paper is to deliver a quantitative assessment of the impact of AI transformation on the Romanian labour market. By providing early empirical evidence from a high-frequency vacancy dataset, the paper contributes to the literature on AI, labour markets, and technological diffusion in emerging EU economies.