NEW YORK, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Revelio Labs, a leading workforce intelligence company, today released its August 2026 edition of Revelio Public Labor Statistics (RPLS) and the AI Labor Market Tracker. The US economy added 218.6K jobs in August, while employment in the most AI-exposed occupations fell 6% relative to the least-exposed occupations since before ChatGPT. Among workers ages 22 to 25, that gap has reached 19%.
Starting this month, Revelio Labs is launching the Monthly Workforce Update, bringing together Revelio Public Labor Statistics (RPLS) and the AI Labor Market Tracker for one comprehensive readout on US employment, AI labor market trends, and the forces shaping the labor market.
Key findings – August 2026
- The U.S. added 36.5.6K jobs in August, led by Public Administration, and Health Care and Social Assistance sectors. Leisure and Hospitality and Retail Trade lost jobs.
- Active job postings fell 3% month over month to 18.3 million, 2.2% below August 2025.
- Postings fell most in Transportation and Warehousing (down 13.2%) and Wholesale Trade (down 11.3%).
- Advertised salaries in new postings fell 3.4%, pointing to easing wage pressure.
- Employment in the most AI-exposed occupations is down about 6% relative to the least-exposed occupations since November 2022.
- For workers ages 22 to 25, the AI-exposure employment gap is 19%.
- The most AI-exposed firms are recording fewer layoffs than the least-exposed firms, and firms adopting AI continue to grow headcount relative to non-adopters.
US adds 36.5K jobs despite continued cooling in labor demand
The U.S. economy added 36.5.6k jobs, driven by Public Administration, and Health Care and Social Assistance sectors, while Leisure and Hospitality and Retail Trade declined.
Active job postings fell 3% to 18.3 million and sat 2.2% below August 2025, with the steepest pullbacks in Transportation and Warehousing (down13.2%) and Wholesale Trade (down 11.3%). Salaries in new postings fell 3.4%, pointing to easing wage pressure as employers compete less aggressively for talent.
AI employment gap reaches 19% among workers ages 22 to 25
Employment continues to weaken in the occupations most exposed to AI, and the effect is sharpest among the youngest workers. Since before ChatGPT, employment in the most AI-exposed occupations is down around 6% relative to the least-exposed occupations. Among workers ages 22 to 25, the gap reaches 19%.
The firm-level evidence, however, points away from broad AI-driven displacement. The most AI-exposed firms are seeing fewer layoffs than the least-exposed firms, while AI-adopting firms continue to expand employment relative to non-adopters. Taken together, the data suggest that AI’s labor market effects are concentrated in where employment grows and which workers face weaker opportunities, rather than in a broad wave of job losses.
“The labor market added very few jobs in August, and opportunities are becoming increasingly uneven,” said Lisa Simon, Chief Economist at Revelio Labs. “That is especially visible for younger workers in AI-exposed occupations. But we still do not see evidence of broad AI-driven displacement: highly exposed firms are laying off fewer workers, while firms adopting AI continue to expand.”