A recent survey paints a dire picture of how technology professionals feel about their career prospects. According to Computer Futures, more than a third (34%) are worried about losing their job because of AI automation, and more than half (53%) prioritise job security over a pay increase. The reasoning is simple: as more businesses turn to generative AI for tasks such as software development, what need is there for in-house specialists?
But there’s another, less gloomy side to this too. McKinsey estimates that improvements in productivity through generative AI could lead to annual gains of between $2.6tn and $4.4tn (£2.1tn-£3.5tn) for the global economy. Given that those gains cannot be realised unless businesses have the right talent on hand – talent which is still in short supply – tech professionals should be in high demand for some time yet.
Gartner has found that 81% of IT teams are likely to grow this year despite – or rather because of – the arrival of AI. Another study by Gigged.ai, a Glasgow-based tech recruitment platform, shows that 72% of UK businesses are engaged in digital transformation, and 30% of those say there’s too much work to do and not enough people to do it.