Our Expertise
The AI talent gap: is your workforce ready?
AI is fundamentally shifting IT roles from tactical execution to strategic oversight. By automating routine coding, testing, and system management, professionals are transitioning into “orchestrators” who supervise AI agents, drive cross-functional innovation, and manage complex, multi-system architectures
– Bain and Company
90%
Global enterprises reporting AI skills shortages
50%
of US tech jobs now require AI skills
~42%
salary premium for AI-skilled talent
80%
YoY growth in AI-native role demand
Almost every organisation is investing in AI, but only ~1% are mature
The biggest gap isn’t intent. It’s execution. And execution comes down to people. Winning with AI means having the right talent in the right shape, faster than your competitors.
AI is reshaping the world of work
Six shifts redefining how technology teams are built.
01
People still matter
AI won’t remove the need for people, it raises the bar on the people you need.
02
Net effect uncertain
Will AI create more roles than it replaces? The long-run position is still open.
03
Low-complexity decline
A near-term decline in low-complexity, white-collar roles.
04
Higher-skill demand
Rising demand for higher-skill, AI-augmented work.
05
Roles → skills → outcomes
Work is shifting from fixed roles, to skills, to measurable outcomes.
06
Leaner & project-based
Teams are becoming leaner, more flexible and more project-based.
AI is rebuilding the IT job ladder, with fewer rungs
ower-skilled roles are being compressed, transition roles are holding and value is concentrating at the top in AI, creating unprecedented demand and wage premiums. The shape of the IT team is changing, and so is where the value sits.
Explosive Growth
Winning roles, AI-native
Demand and wage premiums are concentrating at the top. These are the scarce, high-value skills every organization is competing for.
- AI / ML Engineer
- Senior Software Engineer (AI-fluent)
- Data / Platform Engineer
- MLOps / LLMOps Engineer
- AI Security Engineer
- Solutions Engineer
- AI Consultant / Strategist
- Forward Deployed Engineer
Flat Demand
Transition roles, evolving with AI
These roles are holding steady in volume, but reshaping fast around AI. They are the roles most in need of reskilling.
- Mid-level software engineer
- Enterprise platform consultant
- Business analyst
- IT manager / technology leader
- IT operations / SRE
Declining Demand
Losing roles, Losing value with AI
Typically lower complexity roles, these more manual roles are in structural decline as AI absorbs the work.
- Clerical / admin layers
- Infrastructure system admins
- Junior software engineers
- IT support / service desk (Tier 1)
This direction reflects Tenth Revolution Group analysis of global posting trends over the last twelve months.
The result: an "AI barbell" technology team
A smaller, highly paid permanent core of AI-fluent talent balanced by a much larger, flexible contingent layer of specialists who flex with demand. Winning teams are now built deliberately across both ends.
Entry-level hollowing out
51% of firms are cutting entry-level hiring, weakening the permanent pipeline.
Permanent consolidating
Permanent hiring is concentrating around AI-fluent roles.
Skills half-life compressing
AI-exposed skills change ~66% faster. “buy and hold” gets riskier.
Contract expanding
41% of firms plan to grow their contingent workforce.
Frequently asked questions
How is AI changing technology hiring?
AI is concentrating value at the top of the IT job ladder. AI-native roles are growing ~89–96% year on year while low-complexity roles decline. Skills change faster, entry-level permanent hiring is shrinking and contingent hiring is expanding, producing an “AI barbell”: a small, highly paid permanent core plus a larger flexible specialist layer.
Which technology roles are in highest demand?
AI / ML engineers, AI-fluent senior software engineers, data and platform engineers, MLOps/LLMOps engineers, AI security engineers and AI consultants are seeing the strongest demand and the largest wage premiums of around 42% for AI-skilled talent.
For Employers
Build the team that helps you win
Find the scarce AI skills that matter, at speed and at scale.
For Professionals
Find your next role
Access the roles, skills and training that put you on the winning side of AI.
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Technology and AI is moving fast, but technology alone doesn’t create the impact that matters. People do.
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