AI-Related Business Recruitment Surges 15-Fold in Just 2 Years

According to a survey by Priceless Inc. (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yasuhito Sato), which operates the agency recruitment site "Agent Dot Com" (https://b-seeds.com), AI-related agency recruitment surged 15-fold in the two years from 2023 to 2025.

Following the emergence of ChatGPT (November 2022), AI-related product agency recruitment dramatically increased from 2024 onwards. When combined with business efficiency (DX), the total reached 16.3 times the 2023 level. In 2026, the pace is 33 cases in four months, translating to approximately 99 cases annually. This indicates that both manufacturers offering products and individuals seeking new ways of working are beginning to move in the "era where AI changes work."

This report reveals three key findings from 17 years and over 5,000 agency recruitment case data.

**■ AI-Related Cases Surge 15-Fold in 2 Years**

AI category agency recruitment cases, which were only 2 in 2023, rapidly expanded to 29 in 2024 and 30 in 2025. This is exactly a 15-fold increase compared to 2023.

Product genres have also diversified, including "AI sales tools," "AI business efficiency," and "AI education programs." In 2026, with 12 cases by April, the momentum continues, with AI alone projecting approximately 36 cases annually.

Notably, 2024 served as a tipping point. It took approximately one year from ChatGPT's debut in November 2022 for manufacturers to prepare products and introduce them to agency recruitment. This figure symbolizes the market's response speed.

**■ AI + DX Totals 16.3-Fold in 2 Years. IoT Stagnates**

While AI-related cases alone saw a 15-fold increase, their growth becomes even more evident when combined with the business efficiency (DX) category.

In contrast, the IoT (Internet of Things) category has stagnated since peaking at 8 cases in 2022, with zero cases reported in 2025. This structure shows "software/service AI" expanding as an agency business more than hardware.

**■ Top 5 Growth Categories Concentrate on "White-Collar Business Support for SMEs"**

Based on 17 years and over 5,000 cases of data, the top 5 categories with high growth rates from 2023 to 2025 are as follows:

The top 2 categories (DX/AI) are outstanding, showing a significant difference from other categories. Furthermore, white-collar business support systems such as MEO, SEO, and customer acquisition are also expanding, indicating that "SME support in the AI era" is becoming a mega-trend.

Since the beginning of 2026, hybrid proposals combining AI with other areas have increased, such as "OEM x Generative AI reskilling training business," "Biometric authentication x side business," and "Training services to learn AI and SNS utilization." The market is maturing from the sale of standalone AI tools to complex proposals tailored to industry needs.

**■ Message from the Representative – Placing People at the Center in an AI-Changing Era**

Seventeen years have passed since "Agent Dot Com" was launched in 2008, the year of the Lehman Shock. We have seen earthquakes, work style reforms, the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, we are in the midst of an AI revolution.

Following ChatGPT and Gemini, generative AIs like Claude Code and Cowork have begun to penetrate with the momentum to rewrite business operations themselves within the last one to two months. As someone who uses AI daily, I am surprised by the speed of change and its potential, but as a business owner, I am acutely aware of its impact on companies, sole proprietors, and freelancers who have traditionally carried out these tasks.

There must be many who are anxious about their future income, especially those who have worked in areas where AI excels – research, creation, development, and document generation. Among the listed companies we meet daily, there is a realistic movement to review contracts with outsourced partners.

Agent Dot Com has handled over 5,000 agency recruitment cases over these 17 years, assisting in bringing new businesses to the world. Looking at the data, it is clear that during times of great change, new businesses are born, and "people" are needed to deliver them to the world.

Ultimately, the agency business is about "connecting people through products and services." It is an ancient Japanese relationship-based business that bridges companies creating products and those who need them. Sales agents, referral agents, special agencies, business partners – the names may change with the times, but the essence of trusting people, entrusting them, and sharing profits together remains unchanged.

Even if the landscape of work changes significantly due to AI, there will always be things that only humans can do. This includes listening to someone's anxieties.