Take 5: AI Job Replacements, Holiday Side Gigs, Social Media Ad Spend Growth

NH Business Review's biweekly snapshot of business and industry statistics

ROBERT Half recently released its 2026 Salary Guide, and new data reveals six specialized skill areas that are driving above-average salary increases despite broader economic uncertainty: AI machine learning (+4.1%); public accounting, tax, audit and assurance (+3.7%); content strategy, digital project management and marketing analytics (+3.3%); customer support and health care administration (+3%); legal contract management (+2.7%); and compensation and benefits (+2.4%).

A report from AIResumeBuilder.com on companies replacing workers with AI found that 1 in 5 companies replaced jobs with AI in 2025. In addition, 3 in 10 companies plan to replace employees with AI in 2026. The roles most at risk of automation are in the administrative and customer service areas.

A survey from ResumeTemplates.com found that most full-time workers are struggling to afford the holidays this year, and many are turning to side gigs to make it work. Of the over 1,000 full-time workers surveyed, 61% say it’s harder to cover holiday expenses this year, with 2 in 3 taking on extra work to afford gifts, travel and celebrations. Common side hustles include extra shifts, delivery apps and seasonal retail.

AS of May 2025, 41.7 million people in 22.4 million households received SNAP benefits, which amounts to nearly 1 in every 8 people in the country, according to the Pew Research Center. The majority of both adult and child recipients were born in the United States — 81.1% and 96.9%, respectively — with 13.4% of recipients being foreign born.

ACCORDING to data presented by Jemlit.com, social media ad spending is expected to grow by almost 90% in the following years and become a half-a-trillion-dollar industry by 2031. In 2024, more than 75% of Gen Zers and 50% of millennials decided to buy a product or service after seeing it on social media platforms.