Students across majors are building AI experience at scale, and employers are responding - AI-titled internship postings attract nearly five times as many applications as postings that don't mention AI, according to a new Handshake report.
The job platform's Class of What's Next report analyzed 12.4 million U.S. candidate profiles from current students and recent graduates in the classes of 2024 to 2030, measuring AI-related coursework, projects, certifications, job applications, and recruiter engagement as of June 2026.
Nearly two-thirds of candidates with AI-related experience aren't computer science majors. Even when the analysis included computing, engineering, and math majors, more than a quarter of AI-experienced candidates came from outside those fields. Business, economics, biology, communications, psychology, and marketing were the most common nontechnical majors represented.
Kerry Haring, director of product and revenue marketing at Handshake, said the findings show students across disciplines are thinking about how to apply AI within their fields, not just as a technology for computer scientists to build.
"They truly are the class of what's next," Haring said. "They're diving into, 'What is this new technology?' They're figuring out what they can do, and it means different majors and different job types are going to be able to automate and leverage different things with AI."
AI skills beyond the classroom
Compared with the broader talent pool, candidates with AI-related experience are roughly twice as likely to apply to information technology and internet and software employers. That suggests many students still look to the tech sector for AI roles, even as other industries expand hiring for these positions.
Coursework remains one of the strongest indicators of AI foundation, with machine learning, deep learning, and computer vision among the most common concepts candidates list from classes. But students are also documenting AI learning through projects and certifications.
"What's really interesting is that it's telling us that students want different channels to be able to learn, and I think that's true for any technology that's happened or that we've seen evolve over time," Haring said. "It's really cool to see that they're not only just taking their coursework, but then they're applying it, and then they're also doing some self-learning, too."
Haring said employers are thinking through how to communicate the AI skills they're seeking. "Talking with employers, a lot of folks are thinking about how they are going to map their roles for the future, what skills they should be hiring for and how they actually bring that through in their employer brand and so on," she said.
AI experience drives recruiter engagement
Candidates with AI-related experience are more engaged throughout the recruiting process. They receive nearly twice as much employer outreach, respond at more than double the rate, and are nearly three times as likely to RSVP to career fairs and employer events.
Haring said colleges and universities have a role in helping students navigate an AI-driven job market, particularly by creating hands-on opportunities. "It's an opportunity for them to think through, how do they have folks do more real-life projects? How can they connect folks to internships that they can leverage in their coursework?" she said. "We're seeing it from an implementation perspective, a course perspective and then a peer-sharing perspective."
Why this matters for education and IT professionals
For professionals in education and career development, the report shows that AI skills are no longer confined to technical programs. Students from business, communications, and biology are building AI experience and getting hired for it - which means career advisors and educators should prepare students across all majors to document AI projects and coursework on their profiles.
For IT and development professionals, the data signals that AI-titled roles draw outsized application volumes. Employers hiring for these positions should expect more competition for AI-related postings and may need to be specific about required skills to filter effectively. Resources on AI for IT & Development and AI for Education can help professionals in both fields understand what AI skills are in demand and how to build them.
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