Under the Radar – November 28, 2025: The Jobs Report Looks Fine. Tech Workers Aren’t.

The disconnect between official statistics and worker reality has never been wider.

Bottom Line Up Front

Week ending November 28, 2025 (Thanksgiving – Data Verification Limited)

Initial jobless claims dropped to 216,000 last week. The lowest level since mid-April. Federal officials and market analysts point to this as evidence the labor market remains healthy. Meanwhile, 153,074 job cuts were announced in October alone (highest October since 2003), tech sector layoffs jumped 489% month-over-month, and burned-out workers are quietly planning exits from positions that officially count as “employed.”

The disconnect between official statistics and worker reality has never been wider.

All five opportunities in our Top 5 appear to be holding steady, though we cannot confirm week-over-week movement due to Thanksgiving holiday timing and job board search caching. AI Agent Builders shows ~6,253 positions (same as last week’s verified count), but we cannot determine if this represents genuine market stability or cached search results. Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator shows categorization changes (23,562 + 12,435 = ~36,000 combined) rather than actual market shift.

Data transparency: Rather than claim precision we don’t have during a holiday week, we’re acknowledging verification limitations and focusing analysis on sustained demand levels.

The data says the job market is fine. Workers know better.

This Sunday: PivotIntel AI Infrastructure Intelligence Report We are adding an “Occupation AI Risk Tracker” that will update weekly. In addition, our other trackers will be updating daily and we are covering National as well as Michigan’s 17 tracked data center projects, community impact analysis, and real employment math.

Top 5 This Week

Movement: No Confirmed Changes This Week

⚠️ Data Verification Note (November 27, 2025):

This week’s job count verification faced significant challenges:

Thanksgiving Effect: November 27, 2025 is Thanksgiving Day in the US. Many companies pause hiring activities during holiday weeks, and job board search algorithms may display cached results rather than real-time data. This affects our ability to verify week-over-week changes.

Search Result Caching: Indeed and other job boards frequently cache search results for 24-72 hours. When we search “AI agent engineer jobs,” we may see last week’s count (6,253) rather than current data. Without the ability to confirm these are fresh postings vs. cached results, we cannot reliably report week-over-week movement.

Healthcare Categorization Change: “Patient Care Coordinator” dropped from 52,691 (last week) to 23,562 (this week). However, “Care Coordinator” shows an additional 12,435 positions. Combined: ~36,000 positions. This appears to reflect Indeed’s categorization changes rather than actual market shift. The jobs didn’t disappear, they’re being classified differently.

Our approach this week: We’re reporting all five positions as holding steady with last week’s verified counts. We cannot confirm growth or decline without reliable fresh data. This is the honest approach rather than claiming precision we don’t have.

1. AI Agent Builders – $120K-$180K (↔️ Holding at ~6,253)

Current market data (November 27, 2025 – verification limited):

Approximately 6,253 jobs on Indeed (same count as last week – cannot confirm if growth/decline due to holiday caching)
Extensive freelance opportunities: Upwork, Toptal, Freelancer.com
Framework adoption: LangChain, LlamaIndex, CrewAI accelerating
Enterprise deployment: Companies racing to ship AI agent products

Note on this week’s count: The 6,253 figure matches last week’s verified count. We cannot confirm whether this represents actual market stability or cached search results due to Thanksgiving holiday timing. Job board algorithms often display cached data during holiday weeks when hiring activity slows.

Why this holds at ~6,250 level: October’s 153,074 layoffs included 33,281 tech cuts—but those cuts weren’t automation engineers. Companies are eliminating roles AI can replace while simultaneously hiring people who can BUILD those AI systems. The sustained 6,000+ position level (compared to typical 3,000-4,000 for specialized tech roles) reflects genuine enterprise demand, not hype.

Key distinction: These aren’t “AI-adjacent” roles that might be automated. These are the people building the systems doing the automating. LangChain framework adoption, autonomous agent deployment, and tool-calling architectures all require engineers who understand both the AI capabilities and the software engineering to productionize them.

Reality check: Entry remains challenging. Most positions require 2-3 years of software development experience plus demonstrated AI/ML project work. But for those with the technical foundation, this represents genuine demand, not hype. Companies need these engineers now to maintain competitive position as AI deployment accelerates.

Freelance opportunity: If you can’t land a full-time role immediately, freelance agent development projects on Upwork and similar platforms provide both income and portfolio material. Rates: $75-150/hour for experienced developers.

Score: 92/100 (unchanged from last week)

Market Demand: 30/30 (surging)
Entry Speed: 20/25 (technical requirements remain high)
Income Potential: 25/25 (excellent range, strong ceiling)
Future Viability: 15/15 (building the systems, not replaced by them)
Scam/Risk: 5/5 (legitimate enterprise hiring)

2. Local Business AI Implementation – $80K-$150K+ (↔️ Holding #2)

Current market reality (November 27, 2025):

75% of SMBs investing in AI (up from 24% in 2024)
71% planning to increase investment next year
33 million small businesses need implementation help
Consulting/freelance model (not tracked by traditional job boards)

Why this holds: The same AI deployment driving enterprise layoffs creates massive opportunity in the 33 million small businesses that can’t afford full-time AI staff. As enterprise companies cut workers and deploy AI to maintain productivity, small businesses face competitive pressure to adopt similar capabilities.

The SMB reality: A local law firm with 8 employees can’t hire an AI engineer at $150K/year. But they can pay a consultant $5,000-15,000 for a focused implementation project: document automation, client intake systems, research assistance. These projects take 2-4 weeks, provide immediate value, and don’t require ongoing full-time staff.

Income model: Successful consultants typically run 1-2 projects simultaneously, billing $8,000-12,000 per project, completing 12-18 projects annually. Annual revenue: $96,000-216,000. Margins are high (70-80%) since overhead is minimal.

Market depth: This isn’t saturated. Most small businesses still haven’t implemented ANY AI tools. The consultants who understand both the technology AND how to communicate value to non-technical business owners have essentially unlimited runway.

Score: 89/100 (unchanged)

Market Demand: 27/30 (large market, but requires hustle)
Entry Speed: 23/25 (can start with existing business contacts)
Income Potential: 22/25 (strong ceiling, variable floor)
Future Viability: 14/15 (sustainable as AI becomes infrastructure)
Scam/Risk: 5/5 (legitimate consulting)

3. Voice AI Implementation Specialist – $90K-$160K (↔️ Holding #3)

Current market data (November 27, 2025):

Market growing 34.8% CAGR ($2.4B → $47.5B by 2034)
90 YC-backed voice AI companies since 2020 (accelerating each cohort)
90% of hospitals projected to use AI agents by end of 2025
Enterprise voice deployments across customer service, healthcare, operations

Why this holds: As companies eliminate customer service roles (90,418 warehousing/logistics cuts YTD, many customer-facing), they’re simultaneously deploying voice AI systems that require specialists to implement. Hospital systems, call centers, and enterprise operations all need people who can configure, test, and optimize voice AI deployments.

Technical distinction: This isn’t “prompt engineering.” Voice AI implementation requires understanding telephony systems, call routing, interruption handling, latency management, and natural conversation flow. The specialists who can take an off-the-shelf voice AI platform (like OpenAI’s Realtime API, ElevenLabs, or Hume) and configure it for specific business workflows are in sustained demand.

Hospital deployment: Healthcare represents the fastest-growing vertical. 90% of hospitals expected to use AI agents by end of 2025 means thousands of implementations happening right now. These aren’t replacing doctors—they’re handling appointment scheduling, insurance verification, prescription refills, and patient intake. Each implementation requires specialists.

Score: 87/100 (unchanged)

Market Demand: 28/30 (fast growth, clear trajectory)
Entry Speed: 21/25 (requires technical + communication skills)
Income Potential: 22/25 (strong mid-range)
Future Viability: 13/15 (deployment phase, then maintenance phase)
Scam/Risk: 5/5 (legitimate enterprise demand)

4. Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator – $45K-$95K (↔️ Holding #4)

Current market data (November 27, 2025):

23,562 “Patient Care Coordinator” positions on Indeed
12,435 “Care Coordinator” positions on Indeed
Combined total: ~36,000 positions
29% growth projected through 2033 (BLS)
HIPAA protection limits algorithmic management
AI creates MORE coordination need, not less

About the count variation: Last week showed 52,691 “Patient Care Coordinator” jobs. This week shows 23,562. However, when we search “Care Coordinator” (broader category), Indeed returns 12,435 additional positions. Combined: approximately 36,000 positions.

Why the categorization changed: Indeed appears to have refined how it classifies healthcare coordination roles. Some positions previously showing as “Patient Care Coordinator” now appear under “Care Coordinator,” “Care Navigator,” or “Care Manager.” The jobs didn’t disappear—they’re being tagged differently in Indeed’s database.

Market reality check: The ~36,000 combined count is actually consistent with last week when accounting for categorization. The fundamental dynamic hasn’t changed: As hospitals deploy AI diagnostic tools, automated scheduling systems, and electronic health records, the need for human coordinators who can navigate insurance complexity, explain medical situations, and advocate for patients actually increases. AI handles routine scheduling and documentation; humans handle the edge cases, conflicts, and emotionally complex situations.

HIPAA protection: Healthcare regulations create genuine automation barriers. You can’t algorithmically manage patient care the way you can manage warehouse workers or customer service reps. This regulatory protection, combined with the human relationship complexity inherent in healthcare coordination, provides medium-term job security.

Entry accessibility: This remains the highest-ranked entry-level opportunity in our Top 5. Requirements: High school diploma (BA preferred but not required), customer service experience, and willingness to obtain healthcare-specific certifications. Training programs: 6-12 weeks. This is a faster path to $45K-50K baseline than most other options.

Score: 76/100 (unchanged despite count variation)

Market Demand: 24/30 (large volume, regulatory protection)
Entry Speed: 24/25 (fastest path in Top 5)
Income Potential: 16/25 (solid baseline, limited ceiling)
Future Viability: 10/15 (regulatory protection, human complexity)
Scam/Risk: 5/5 (legitimate healthcare hiring)

5. Synthetic Data Creation – $130K-$200K+ (↔️ Holding #5)

Current market data (November 27, 2025):

161 specialized “synthetic data” roles on Indeed
1,424 broader synthetic data-related positions
Market growing 31.1% CAGR
$1.81 billion market size projected by end of 2024
Gartner: 60% of AI training data will be synthetic by 2025

Why this holds: As AI models consume more training data, privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA) make real data harder to access. Companies need synthetic data that maintains statistical properties while protecting privacy. This is advanced technical work requiring data science expertise—not something that gets automated away.

Specialized skill set: This isn’t general AI engineering. Synthetic data creation requires understanding statistical distributions, generative modeling, differential privacy, and domain-specific validation. You need to create fake medical records that look real enough to train diagnostic models while containing zero actual patient information. Or financial transaction data that maintains fraud patterns without exposing real customer behavior.

Market reality: 161 specialized roles is a small number. But this represents high-value, specialized work. Companies hiring for synthetic data roles are serious—these aren’t speculative positions. And with Gartner predicting 60% of AI training data will be synthetic by 2025, demand will grow as more companies face data privacy constraints.

Score: 85/100 (unchanged)

Market Demand: 25/30 (specialized but growing fast)
Entry Speed: 16/25 (requires advanced technical skills)
Income Potential: 25/25 (excellent compensation)
Future Viability: 15/15 (solves genuine technical problem)
Scam/Risk: 5/5 (legitimate technical hiring)

⚠️ CAUTION: The Jobs Report Looks Fine. Tech Workers Aren’t.

The headline: Initial jobless claims dropped to 216,000 last week. The lowest since mid-April.

The reality: Continuing claims rose to 1.96 million. 153,074 job cuts announced in October alone. Tech sector layoffs jumped 489% month-over-month. Engineers with 10+ years experience report 500+ applications yielding 3 interviews.

Welcome to the employment data disconnect.

The Numbers That Make Officials Comfortable

Federal Reserve officials point to low jobless claims as evidence the labor market remains healthy. Bloomberg analysts note claims remain “relatively subdued.” The 4-week moving average sits at 223,750. Well below recession levels.

Translation: Not many people are filing for unemployment insurance this week.

The Numbers Officials Ignore

October 2025 Challenger data:

153,074 job cuts announced (highest October since 2003)
1,099,500 total cuts through October (highest since pandemic)
Technology sector: 33,281 cuts in October (up 489% from September’s 5,639)
141,159 tech job cuts year-to-date (17% increase vs. 2024)

Planned hires through October:

488,077 positions (lowest since 2011)
Down 35% from 750,333 at same point in 2024
Monthly average: 48,808 new hires (lowest since 2011)
Seasonal hiring: 372,520 positions (lowest since data began in 2012)

Translation: Companies are eliminating positions faster than they’re creating new ones, but that doesn’t show up in weekly jobless claims.

Why the Disconnect Exists

Three invisible categories:

1. Quiet Layoffs (Attrition Not Replaced) Companies don’t announce cuts. They just stop backfilling positions when people leave. An engineering team of 20 becomes a team of 15 over six months. No layoff announcement. No unemployment claims. No statistical trace.

2. PIPs and “Performance Management” Instead of layoffs, companies put workers on Performance Improvement Plans designed to fail. Workers leave “voluntarily” or are terminated “for cause.” In many states, this disqualifies them from unemployment benefits. Result: No layoff statistic, no unemployment claim.

3. Contractor Conversions and Reorganizations Convert full-time employees to contractors. “Reorganize” departments to eliminate roles without reducing headcount. Offer “voluntary” separation packages. None of this counts as a traditional layoff.

The math: A company can reduce its workforce by 20% without appearing in either the Challenger layoff data OR the jobless claims statistics.

What McKinsey Just Admitted

McKinsey’s November 2025 AI report revealed what companies tell consultants vs. what they tell workers: 32% of companies expect workforce decreases from AI in the coming year. Current AI technologies could automate approximately 57% of U.S. work hours. Nearly 90% of companies have invested in AI, but fewer than 40% report measurable financial gains.

When executives tell McKinsey “32% expect workforce decreases” but tell the press “AI will augment workers, not replace them,” pay attention to what they tell the consultants. That’s the planning number. The press release is the PR number.

The disconnect between McKinsey’s survey data (32% planning cuts) and the “healthy labor market” narrative (low jobless claims) is exactly what we’re documenting in this CAUTION section.

Full analysis: McKinsey’s November 2025 Bombshell: 57% of Work Hours Already Automatable

What Reddit Tells Us That Statistics Don’t

r/cscareerquestions (850K members):

“Applied to 500+ jobs since July. 3 interviews. All rejected.”
“10 years experience. Every role I interview for has 300+ applicants.”
“Got laid off in June. Still searching. Benefits run out next month.”
“Company just announced ‘restructuring.’ My team is getting cut in half.”

r/layoffs (275K members):

“Third round of ‘quiet layoffs’ this year. They call it attrition.”
“On a PIP after 8 years of good reviews. Everyone knows what this means.”
“No official layoff, but they froze my division. 0 new hires.”
“Told me I’m contractor now. Same work, no benefits.”

r/ExperiencedDevs (300K members):

“Work isn’t fun anymore. Thinking about quitting.”
“Everyone on my team is burned out. Management doesn’t care.”
“They’re automating our work while telling us to ‘adapt.'”
“Hiring freeze announced. Raises postponed. ‘Wait until Q2.'”

The pattern: These subreddits show sustained job market dysfunction that official statistics cannot capture. People who HAVE jobs but are quietly searching. People who’ve BEEN searching for 6+ months. People who are technically “employed” but planning exits.

The reality repeating over and over in these subs: Burned out. Work stopped being interesting. Company pivoting toward AI but not investing in training existing staff. Management expects the team to just “figure it out” while shipping the same features faster. Thinking about quitting, not because they lost their job, but because the job slowly became intolerable.

In the statistics: Counted as employed. If they quit, counted as “voluntary separation” (not unemployment). If they get another job first, never counted as unemployed at all. Never in the jobless claims.

How many workers fit this description? The statistics can’t tell you.

The Hiring Side: What Recruiters Won’t Say Publicly

Conversations with staffing agency contacts (K-Force, Manpower, independent career coaches) reveal patterns that don’t match the “healthy labor market” narrative:

“Roles are being restructured, not filled.”

Company posts job listing
Receives 400+ applications
Conducts 3-5 interviews
Decides to “restructure” instead
Position disappears from job boards
No hire announced

“We’re seeing 6-month search timelines for $120K+ roles.”

Experienced engineer loses job
Has strong resume, good interviews
But so do 50 other candidates per opening
Each interview round takes 3-4 weeks
Total process: 4-6 months from layoff to new role
Compare to 2019-2021: 2-3 months typical

“Companies want AI expertise but won’t train existing staff.”

Mass layoffs in traditional roles
Simultaneous hiring in AI/ML positions
Won’t retrain internal employees
“It’s faster to hire externally”
Result: Experienced workers displaced, entry-level AI roles oversubscribed

What This Means for You

If you’re currently employed:

Don’t trust the headlines. The fact that jobless claims are “low” doesn’t mean YOUR job is secure. If your company is talking about “AI transformation” or “operational efficiency,” pay attention. If roles aren’t being backfilled when people leave, pay attention. If management is suddenly very interested in “automation opportunities,” pay attention.

Build your exit strategy now. Not because you need to quit tomorrow; because if/when you DO need to move, the market is significantly harder than the headlines suggest. Six-month job searches are becoming normal for experienced workers.

Consider the Top 5. If you’re in a role vulnerable to AI replacement (customer service, data entry, routine software development, administrative work), start building skills in areas where AI creates demand rather than eliminates it.

If you’re job searching:

Budget for 6+ months. The days of 2-3 month job searches are gone for most workers. Even experienced engineers are reporting 5-7 month timelines from layoff to new role. Plan your finances accordingly.

Target companies deploying AI, not using it. If you’re in tech, look for companies that BUILD AI tools (like those 6,253 AI Agent Builder positions). Avoid companies that are IMPLEMENTING AI to reduce headcount in YOUR role.

Consider the pivot paths. Our Top 5 represents positions where AI creates demand. If your current role is getting automated, these paths position you alongside AI deployment rather than against it. Look for opportunities that are not susceptible to AI. Check our PivotIntel app page under Occupational AI Risk Tracker (coming this week).

If you’re burned out but employed:

Don’t wait for a layoff to make a move. If you’re in the “work isn’t fun anymore, thinking about quitting” category, you’re not alone. But recognize that the job market is harder than it was 2-3 years ago. Build your new skills and identify your target roles BEFORE you quit.

Use employment as a runway. The best time to change careers is while you still have income. Build the skills for your next role while you’re still in your current one. This is exactly what our 30-day action plans are designed to support.

The Federal Government Can’t Fix What It Won’t Measure

The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures unemployment. People actively seeking work who don’t have it. But it doesn’t measure:

People who’ve BEEN searching for 6+ months (long-term discouraged workers) that never filed a claim
People employed but actively job searching due to burnout
People on PIPs who will be “voluntarily separated” next month
People whose departments were eliminated via “reorganization”
Contractors who were previously full-time employees

Result: The official statistics look fine while worker reality deteriorates.

Bottom Line

The jobs report says: Labor market healthy. Jobless claims low. No recession incoming.

Workers know: Hiring frozen. Searches taking 6+ months. Layoffs happening via “restructuring.” AI creating obfuscation. Building vs. being replaced.

What to do: Build skills on the demand side. Budget for longer job searches. Don’t trust headlines over your own network’s experience.

The statistics will catch up to reality eventually. By then, it’ll be too late to prepare.

Movement & Analysis

Why Top 5 Shows No Confirmed Movement This Week

This marks three consecutive weeks with minimal position changes, but this week we cannot confirm whether positions actually held steady or whether we’re seeing cached data due to Thanksgiving holiday timing.

What We Can Confirm: Sustained Demand Levels

AI Agent Builders (~6,250 level): The same dynamics driving mass layoffs (153,074 in October) are driving demand for people who can build AI systems. October saw 33,281 tech sector cuts—but those weren’t AI engineers. Companies are eliminating routine development work while scrambling to hire specialists who can build autonomous agents, configure LangChain workflows, and ship AI-powered features.

The 6,253 current positions represent sustained enterprise need, not speculative hiring. Every company automating work needs engineers who understand both the AI capabilities and the software architecture to productionize them. Framework adoption (LangChain, LlamaIndex, CrewAI) is accelerating, which requires developers who can work at that abstraction level.

Local Business AI Implementation (#2) – Holding: Benefits from the same dynamic at smaller scale. As enterprise companies deploy AI and cut staff, small businesses face competitive pressure to adopt similar capabilities. The 75% of SMBs now investing in AI (up from 24% last year) represents massive untapped market.

Most small businesses can’t afford full-time AI staff—they need consultants who can implement quickly and move on. The 33 million small businesses that need help won’t all hire this year, but the pipeline is deep enough to support thousands of successful consultants for 5+ years.

Voice AI Implementation Specialist (#3) – Holding: Rides the fastest-growing segment of AI deployment. 90% of hospitals projected to use AI agents by end of 2025. Each hospital system needs specialists who can configure voice AI for appointment scheduling, insurance verification, patient intake. These aren’t replacing doctors—they’re automating routine phone interactions that currently require human staff.

Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator (#4) – Holding: Indeed’s categorization change (23,562 “Patient Care Coordinator” + 12,435 “Care Coordinator” = ~36,000 total) makes week-over-week comparison difficult. But the fundamental dynamic remains: AI creates MORE coordination complexity, not less. As hospitals deploy AI diagnostic tools and automated systems, they need human coordinators who can navigate insurance, explain complex situations, and advocate for patients.

Synthetic Data Creation (~same specialized demand): Occupies the most specialized niche. As AI models consume more training data, privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA) make real data harder to access. Companies need synthetic data that maintains statistical properties while protecting privacy. This is advanced technical work that won’t be automated—it’s the enabling technology FOR automation.

Protection Levels Against Current Layoffs

Based on October’s Challenger data showing 153,074 cuts, with AI cited in 31,039:

High Protection:

AI Agent Builders (you BUILD the systems doing the replacing)
Synthetic Data Creation (specialized technical expertise)

Medium Protection:

Local Business AI Implementation (consulting flexibility, diverse clients)
Voice AI Implementation (specialized deployment knowledge)

Medium-Low Protection:

Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator (regulatory protection, human relationship complexity)

None of these are immune. But all five are positioned on the side of AI deployment rather than AI displacement. If you’re in customer service (warehousing/logistics: 90,418 cuts YTD), routine professional work, or basic software development—you’re in the October layoff categories. These five paths move you out of that exposure.

One to Watch: Data Center Operator/Technician

[Content unchanged from November 21 article – comprehensive analysis available in that edition]

Quick summary for this week:

Entry-level: $55K-75K annually
Experienced: $75K-95K annually
Timeline: 3-7 year window before automation reduces headcount
Best for: Displaced manufacturing workers, strategic savers, career transitioners

Full analysis: Under the Radar – November 21, 2025

One to Watch: AI SOC Orchestrator (Status: Holding Steady)

[Content unchanged from previous editions – stable enterprise security demand]

Quick summary:

Salary range: $110K-170K
Enterprise security role managing multiple tools
Represents “orchestration over execution” principle
Not accelerating significantly but maintaining steady demand

30-Day Action Plan: Available at theopenrecord.org/resources

Free Resources

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AI Agent Builders 30-Day Plan – Technical path, highest income potential
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Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator – Entry-level, fastest path to employment

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Methodology & Sources

Ranking Methodology

Our Top 5 rankings use weighted criteria across five factors:

1. Market Demand (30%)

Current job postings volume
Growth trajectory (1-year and 3-year)
Industry investment signals
Enterprise adoption rates

2. Entry Speed (25%)

Time from zero to first income
Barrier to entry (education, certification, capital)
Available learning resources
Community support/mentorship

3. Income Potential (25%)

Entry-level salary range
Experienced professional ceiling
Geographic variation
Freelance/consulting rates

4. Future Viability (15%)

Automation resistance (5-10 year horizon)
Skill transferability
Industry stability
Regulatory protection

5. Scam/Risk Factor (5%)

Prevalence of predatory offers
MLM/pyramid scheme presence
Equipment purchase requirements
Unrealistic income claims

A position must score above 70/100 to make our Top 5. Positions scoring 60-69 appear in “One to Watch.” Below 60 triggers caution warnings.

Data Sources (This Week)

Layoff Data:

Challenger, Gray & Christmas October 2025 Report (released November 6, 2025)
CNN: “Layoff announcements surged last month: The worst October in 22 years” (November 6, 2025)
CNBC: “Job cuts in October hit highest level for the month in 22 years” (November 6, 2025)
Bloomberg: “US Posts Most October Layoffs in More Than 20 Years” (November 6, 2025)

Jobless Claims:

U.S. Department of Labor: Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims (week ending November 22, 2025)
FXStreet: “United States Initial Jobless Claims below expectations” (November 26, 2025)
TT News: “Jobless Claims Drop to Lowest Level Since April” (November 26, 2025)

McKinsey AI Report:

McKinsey & Company: “The state of AI in early 2025: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value” (November 2025)
Key findings: 32% of companies expect workforce decreases, 57% of U.S. work hours could be automated, 88% adoption but only 39% seeing measurable gains
Full analysis: McKinsey’s November 2025 Bombshell: 57% of Work Hours Already Automatable (The Open Record, November 27, 2025)

AI Agent Builders (#1):

Indeed: 6,253 AI agent engineer jobs (verified November 27, 2025)
ZipRecruiter: AI agent developer postings and salary data
Upwork, Toptal, Freelancer.com: Freelance project listings

Local Business AI Implementation (#2):

Salesforce Small and Medium Business Trends Report (2025): 75% of SMBs investing in AI
NFIB Small Business and Technology Survey (June 2025): Baseline comparison
Market analysis: 33 million small businesses (US Census Bureau)

Voice AI Implementation Specialist (#3):

Market.us Voice AI Agents Market Report: $2.4B (2024) → $47.5B (2034), 34.8% CAGR
Y Combinator: 90 voice AI companies backed since 2020
Healthcare projections: 90% hospital AI agent adoption by end of 2025

Healthcare Patient Care Coordinator (#4):

Indeed: 23,562 “Patient Care Coordinator” + 12,435 “Care Coordinator” positions (November 27, 2025)
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical and Health Services Managers Outlook
Projected growth: 29% through 2033

Synthetic Data Creation (#5):

Indeed: 161 specialized + 1,424 broader positions (November 27, 2025)
Gartner: “Top 10 Data and Analytics Trends for 2024”
Market projections: $1.81B (2024), 31.1% CAGR

Michigan Data Centers:

Kalkaska rejection: November 20, 2025
Howell/Meta confirmation: November 20, 2025
Full project tracking: PivotIntel AI Infrastructure Intelligence Report (updated daily, published Sundays)

Transparency Note

We track opportunities, not promote them. When a path shows warning signs (declining demand, saturation, scam prevalence), we report that honestly. Our goal is transparent intelligence that helps you make informed decisions, not feel-good content that ignores difficult realities.

The employment data disconnect we’ve documented this week is real. Low jobless claims don’t mean the job market is healthy—they mean workers aren’t filing for unemployment THIS WEEK. Continuing claims rising, planned hires collapsing, and 6-month job searches becoming normal tell the real story.

If you see data that contradicts our analysis or have direct experience that should inform our coverage, contact us.

Michigan Data Center Intelligence: PivotIntel AI Infrastructure Intelligence Report – All 17 projects tracked, updated daily, published Sundays.

Previous Edition: Under the Radar – November 21, 2025

Under the Radar is published weekly. This edition publishes Friday, November 28, 2025. PivotIntel AI Infrastructure Intelligence Report publishes Sundays. Subscribe to The Open Record for both.