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As we kick off 2025, Spotlight was eager to understand what AR leaders are most enthusiastic about, as well as the strategies they’re using to tackle common challenges. We recently surveyed leaders from the largest enterprise AR teams to get a pulse on how their world is evolving – from budget priorities to talent retention, hiring trends, and everything in between. The insights offer a valuable benchmark for the AR community, highlighting where teams are investing, how they’re adapting, and the key hurdles still ahead.
With 60% of AR leaders reporting flat or decreasing budgets, teams are being forced to make strategic decisions about resource allocation. It’s not surprising that team salary and consulting/agencies account for nearly half of enterprise AR team budgets (47%), with analyst subscriptions and services coming in as a close second (45%). That leaves little room for investment in categories like training and professional development, tools and technology, industry events or analyst content and activation. This highlights the tough trade-offs AR leaders face, balancing core priorities with growth-oriented areas like technology and training.
The AR job market is growing, with 43% of companies planning to expand their teams in 2025. However, finding qualified candidates—especially at the individual contributor level—remains a challenge for many leaders.
From 2023 to 2024 YTD, total AR job postings increased by 17%, reinforcing the growing demand for AR professionals. One of the clearest trends is the rise in manager-level roles–postings for AR managers from 72 in 2023 to 89 in 2024 YTD, a 24% increase.
For professionals looking to advance in AR, the most in-demand skills include adaptability, AR experience, and marketing communications. At the executive level, leadership experience, deep AR knowledge, and strategic thinking are key. Across all roles, executive presence and the ability to manage key relationships are critical for success.
These trends highlight both the opportunities and challenges within the AR talent landscape. With demand rising, now is the perfect time for AR professionals to sharpen their skills and seize new opportunities.
One of the biggest opportunities for AR teams in 2025 is refining how they showcase their impact. While common KPIs include analyst report placements and rankings, executives prioritize strategic messaging, product strategy, and brand visibility. This misalignment underscores the need for AR teams to not only measure impact effectively but also communicate their contributions in a way that resonates with senior stakeholders. At Spotlight, we partner with clients to prioritize what they measure based on two factors: 1) ability to execute the metrics and effectively measure them, and 2) impact on the client’s business. Check out this AR Summit breakout session and blog, “AR’s ROI: Three Letters We Love To Hate” for a deep dive on this topic.
The insights from this survey provide valuable insights for AR teams navigating the complexities of 2025. While challenges persist, the focus on strategic investment, talent development, and leadership alignment will be crucial in ensuring AR continues to drive business impact.
As the industry evolves, AR professionals must remain agile, leveraging data-driven insights and innovative approaches to strengthen their influence within the enterprise. If you’re looking to refine your AR strategy in 2025, we invite you to reach out to our team to understand how these findings can shape your approach for the year ahead.
*Internal data has been sourced from LinkedIn job posting analysis as well as survey responses.