Developing the AI Skills That Will Matter Most in 2026

In a volatile job market where AI is reshaping roles faster than organizations can redefine them, the question is no longer whether legal ops professionals should develop AI skills, but which ones actually matter. Doug Austin of eDiscovery Today addresses this concern by discussing the Computerworld article “What AI Skills Job Seekers Need to Develop in 2026” by Agan Shah.

Building technical AI skills like prompt engineering or vibe coding isn’t enough on its own. Employers are looking for candidates who can show how they’ve used AI to solve real problems and change as tools and technologies evolve. That means understanding how AI systems actually work and knowing which data points and signals matter. A key evolution is the move from prompt engineering to context engineering, requiring employees to be both subject-matter and domain experts to produce consistent, defensible results. 

The article underscores the growing importance of AI governance. Organizations are prioritizing candidates who understand how AI fits within regulatory, ethical, and operational frameworks, not just how it functions technically. Beyond taking classes, job seekers should immerse themselves in the technology by going to conferences and listening to what is being said about AI in business contexts.  

Additionally, job seekers should be prepared to explain how they would apply AI to a real-world problem. Doing so signals adaptability and a readiness to treat AI as a collaborative tool within everyday corporate workflows. Candidates should be able to speak candidly about what they experimented with, where it fell short, and what those attempts taught them.

Although there is no perfect set of skills, the article emphasizes adaptability as the defining AI competency. AI capabilities are continually evolving so employers are watching for curiosity, real-world experimentation, and the ability to articulate lessons learned.