Advertising job opportunities in the US remained stagnant during the first six months of 2025
In a recent announcement by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment figures for July 2025 in the advertising, public relations, and related services sector have been released. The numbers show a steady increase, but with a few notable variations.
The preliminary figures indicate that overall U.S. employment in this sector climbed to 495,400 positions in July, a slight rise from the 494,800 jobs reported in June. This growth is on a seasonally adjusted basis and follows a trend of steady employment throughout the first half of the year.
However, a more detailed look at the data reveals that the rise in jobs is not evenly distributed across all sectors. Staff-level jobs at marketing and advertising firms have been hit the hardest by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), according to a report by Live Data Technologies. AI has significantly changed these roles by automating routine tasks like copywriting, media buying, and project planning, leading to fewer new hires and job displacement in certain roles.
Despite this, the number of jobs at U.S. ad agencies slightly increased in June. The count stood at 220,500 positions, a 0.1% rise from the 219,900 jobs reported in January 2025. This increase is also on a seasonally adjusted basis.
However, when compared to the April 2023 high of 228,000 positions, the number of jobs at U.S. ad agencies in June 2025 is down more than 3%. The July figures show a slight improvement, with the sector reporting 221,000 jobs, a 0.4% increase from June.
The job count in both June and July 2025 is based on preliminary figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The preliminary figures from the Bureau were released on Friday.
Other factors affecting employment in advertising agencies include tariffs and industry consolidation. Despite these challenges, a segment of independent and private equity-backed agencies continue to hire in earnest.
The rise of AI is one of the factors affecting employment in advertising agencies. While AI substitutes labor in many tasks, workers tend to shift towards tasks that AI cannot perform, partially counterbalancing job loss. Within firms, AI exposure has led to an approximate 14.5% decline in employment share of affected occupations over a five-year period, but internal reallocation and productivity gains have muted the net impact on overall labor demand.
This changing job landscape emphasizes roles focused on uniquely human skills and oversight as AI tools become mainstream collaborators. The employment figures for July 2025 reflect this shift, with the sector showing a slight increase in jobs compared to the previous month. However, the impact of AI on staff-level jobs in marketing and advertising firms is pronounced, resulting in slower employment growth compared to the overall advertising and public relations sector.
[1] "AI's Impact on Staff-Level Jobs in Marketing and Advertising Firms." [Source] [2] "AI's Mixed Effects on Employment in Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services." [Source] [3] "AI Tools Excel at Writing, Research, and Communication Tasks." [Source] [4] "AI's Labor Market Effects: A Broader Study." [Source]
- In contrast to the slight increase in jobs at U.S. ad agencies, there has been a significant decline in staff-level jobs at marketing and advertising firms due to the rise of artificial intelligence, according to Live Data Technologies' report.
- As AI tools become more prevalent collaborators, there is a growing emphasis on roles that require uniquely human skills, such as oversight and creative decision-making, in the advertising and public relations sector, as reflected in the employment figures for July 2025.
