The proportion of packaging companies hiring for machine learning related positions rose significantly in April 2022 compared with the equivalent month last year, with 25% of the companies included in our analysis recruiting for at least one such position. This latest figure was higher than the 10.7% of companies who were hiring for machine learning related jobs a year ago and an increase compared to the figure of 17.9% in March 2022. When it came to the rate of all job openings that were linked to machine learning, related job postings rose in April 2022, with 0.5% of newly posted job advertisements being linked to the topic. This latest figure was an increase compared to the 0.2% of newly advertised jobs that were linked to machine learning in the equivalent month a year ago. Machine learning is one of the topics that GlobalData, from whom our data for this article is taken, have identified as being a key disruptive force facing companies in the coming years.

The paper and packaging industry is in the midst of major change. Print circulation for magazines and newspapers has dropped dramatically in the last decade. Craigslist is replacing the classified section. Google and social media are replacing direct mail advertising. Cloud storage is replacing the office filing cabinet.