78% of IT job postings already require AI skills

IT professionals reluctant to accept the impact AI will have on their careers might want to think again. According to a new study from the AI Workforce Consortium, the IT job market is undergoing an unprecedented transformation thanks to AI, and AI skills are becoming a core competency for IT pros.

The findings are based on analysis of job posting data from Cornerstone and Indeed, conducted by the Cisco-led consortium between July 2024 and June 2025 in G7 countries Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US.

AI is becoming a standard skill

The study revealed that AI skills are already explicitly required in 78% of advertised IT jobs. Furthermore, seven of the 10 fastest-growing IT jobs in G7 countries have a direct AI component, including software engineers, AI/ML developers, cloud engineers, and data engineers.

At the same time, soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and leadership are becoming increasingly important to ensure AI is used responsibly.

But it’s not just IT professionals who will be affected. “Looking a bit into the future, say to 2030, AI skills will be just as much a given as PC skills are today,” explains Yasmin Weiß when presented with the study results.

“Anyone applying for a knowledge worker position in 2030 who can only demonstrate insufficient AI skills will be perceived as just as uninteresting as someone applying today who can’t use a PC,” says Weiß, a professor who specializes in AI in the workplace.

Dangerous imbalance

In her view, the World Economic Forum (WEF) isn’t entirely wrong in its prediction that 83 million jobs will likely be lost to automation by 2027, while 698 million new ones will be created.

If you factor out the demographic shift in developed economies — keyword: baby boomers — it roughly balances out, says Weiß. The problem is that the employees whose jobs are being automated by AI or are replaced by other technologies, usually lack the qualifications for newly emerging roles. Simple upskilling is therefore often insufficient; ​​what is needed is reskilling — i.e., learning entirely new skills.

“This raises the question of how realistic such retraining programs are — for example, whether a former office worker can become a cyber forensic expert in a short time,” Weiß says.

In addition to technical qualifications, a profound shift in mindset also plays a crucial role, explains Weiß. In the future, people will more frequently assume different professional identities over the course of their lives. For this to happen, meta-competencies such as adaptability, learning ability, and openness to change must be significantly strengthened, as they will form the basis for success in a rapidly changing world of work.

Christian Korff, VP of services, strategy, and planning for EMEA at Cisco, points out that many vacancies for learning development positions are currently being advertised in the English-speaking world to support this transformation. In comparison, Europe, and Germany in particular, still lag behind when it comes to investing in education and training and bringing people along on this journey.

As Weiß reports from her perspective as a lecturer, AI can also act as a driver and enabler in this transformation. For example, students can now learn in a highly individualized way with digital tools — such as chatbots — and reflect on their career prospects. Such opportunities did not exist before.

Is a ‘Lost Generation’ looming?

It cannot be denied, however, that the number of job postings for entry-level professionals, particularly in law firms, software companies, or consulting firms, is declining. Does this leave young people without prospects, or does it even threaten a “lost generation”?

Cisco manager Korff disagrees with this pessimistic view. While companies are currently focusing on experienced professionals to rapidly advance new technologies, many older employees are also nearing retirement.

In his company, as well as in the entire IT sector, this will create many new opportunities for young talent over the next five to seven years. Cisco is investing heavily in junior programs and an internal academy to actively shape the generational shift.

“And incidentally,” he notes, “the people who start with us are well-educated and dedicated — so anything but a lost generation.”

Weiß acknowledges that entry-level positions, particularly in sectors like legal consulting, are currently heavily impacted by automation. Many tasks previously performed by entry-level employees can now be taken over by AI.

Domain knowledge, which used to take a long time to build up, is now more quickly accessible thanks to AI. Therefore, entry-level positions need to be rethought, she explains.

“However, companies are only just beginning to develop such new role profiles, which are more focused on complex, knowledge-based tasks, instead of simply cutting jobs,” she concedes.