In all honesty, I find the job market to be pretty grim these days. But that’s not to say there aren’t some interesting projections in the coming year you won’t want to miss.
In a recent Robert Half article, many of the trends that grew in 2025 are expected to shape 2026.
What Robert Half predicts is a stronger shift toward Human + AI becoming a default model in an average workday. If you’re in tech, this probably doesn’t feel new though, many of us are already using AI in our day-to-day. What will change is how openly and intentionally people use and talk about these tools. We’ll see professionals comparing workflows, sharing AI stacks, and treating AI as a core part of how work gets done.
At the same time, companies are expected to become even more selective in an already competitive market, with a clear preference for candidates who don’t just tolerate AI, but embrace it as a tool to enhance their workflows.
When we find ourselves competing in a market that is saturated, our best bet is highlighting the skills and experiences that make us unique. I wrote more about this in a recent issue if you missed it.
Bring Your AI to Work Day
What does all this mean then?
Despite the title of this issue, this isn’t about showing up with a favorite tool or listing AI on your resume. What companies are predicted to be looking for is Human + AI thinking, using AI to support judgment, not replace it.
In practice, that can look like:
Using AI to explore ideas, patterns, or approaches before working in Excel, Power BI, or a notebook
Turning rough thoughts into clearer communication; think improving summaries, narratives, or explanations that are half baked
Reducing time spent on a new blank page/slide so more energy goes into decisions and insight
Knowing when not to use AI, and being able to explain why
Double checking AI output for accuracy and relevancy
You don’t need to say “AI” explicitly to signal this either. Signs already show up when you:
Talk about reducing friction or time in a workflow
Emphasize iteration, refinement, and learning speed
Frame your work around decision-making, not just outputs
In a saturated market, these practices can separate candidates who just keep up from those who are moving forward.
This week’s topic was: helpful / not helpful
🕹️ Trivia
Across the world, how much data was generated in 2025?
A. 990 Petabytes
B. 3 Yottabytes
C. 800 Exabytes
D. 181 Zettabytes
Answer at the bottom of this issue
Interesting Reads (TL;DR)
AI And Human Connection Lead Top 5 Work Trends For 2026 by Dr. Samantha Madhosingh
Employers are adding real skill assessments into hiring, workers are craving more face-to-face connection, and companies are prioritizing judgment, collaboration, and values in a world where AI takes on routine tasks. What matters most won’t be tool fluency alone, but how people combine AI with human insight, empathy, and practical problem-solving to deliver impact. Read more
10 Key AI Workforce Trends In 2026 by Nicole Schreiber-Shearer
The conversation is shifting from “will AI take jobs?” to “how are jobs changing?”. This article dives into ten trends we can expect to hear about in the upcoming year. Most reinforcing the importance of human capabilities as AI is taking care of technical and tedious tasks. Read more
Top AI Skills and Careers in Artificial Intelligence [2026 Guide] by Vivek G
Interested in learning more about AI roles? This quick read explores skills that are best suited for roles like AI Engineer, ML Engineer, and AI Product Managers. Read more
Resources & Tools
ClipBolt #productivity
Featured on BetaList - ClipBolt is a smart clipboard manager that saves everything you copy. The first 5,000 on the waitlist get a free lifetime account (I already RSVP’d for this one).
Ecosia #search-engine #productivity
Want to help plant a tree just for searching online? Ecosia is a search engine that uses its ad profits to fund tree-planting projects around the world.
ColorSlurp #productivity
ColorSlurp is the ultimate suite of color tools for designers, developers, and artists. This is the color picker I use when developing color palettes for my data visualization projects.
This Week’s Quick Study
▶️ Build an AI agent with me! by Relay
This is an entire YouTube playlist with a plethora of knowledge on building AI agents to help with tasks ranging from scanning Reddit communities to an AI sales coach and everything in between. This app has helped me tremendously with relieving some of my smaller tedious tasks managing a newsletter and tech blog!
Classifieds
PlotStack readers take 50% OFF with code DATAVIZ50: Learn how to design visuals people actually understand. Data Visualization: An Audience-First Approach teaches you how to create dashboards and stories that inform, inspire, and drive decisions.
Simplify your workflow with free Notion templates trusted by 1,000+ users. Thoughtfully designed to keep your goals, projects, and ideas in perfect sync.
This free 5 day microcourse covers 5 Power BI Conundrums every analyst faces throughout their career. Enroll Today!
Classifieds are paid ads that support PlotStack and are seen by hundreds of readers.
Book an Ad with me →
🕹️ Answer
Across the world, how much data was generated in 2025?
A. 990 Petabytes
B. 3 Yottabytes
C. 800 Exabytes
D. 181 Zettabytes
🤯 181 ZB was generated in just 2025! For context, the entire world’s stored data first exceeded 1 ZB in 2012. Most of the early 2010’s was generating less than 10 ZB each year.
How was this week’s issue?
(No sign in required - just click)
Have more to say? Submit feedback here.
If PlotStack helps you think more clearly about analytics and business decisions, you can support it by gifting me a coffee ☕
Every coffee helps keep the newsletter free and focused on practical insights.
