Early adopters | Why contract workers are embracing AI capability faster than rest of workforce

Contract worker staffing firms are building AI literacy faster than the rest of the labor market, according to new analysis from the American Staffing Association and LinkedIn.

Staffing firms are adding AI skills more than 46% faster than the wider workforce, says the association’s 2026 State of Staffing and Search report.

Employers are increasingly prioritizing flexibility, cost control, and AI, reshaping how talent is sourced, placed, and retained.

The report is based on insights from over 200 million US LinkedIn members and 500,000 professionals who have had work engagements through staffing and search companies.