What an IT career will look like in 5 years — and how to thrive through the changes

Executives and analysts frequently note that, going forward, successful IT careers will blend human skills with AI. Early reports suggest that AI is already reshaping the IT job landscape — and showing signs of taking over junior IT positions. Add in IT leaders’ belief that IT workforces may be contracting in the years ahead, and there is a lot of uncertainty these days regarding the long-term outlook on IT careers.

But what exactly does all that mean for IT professionals seeking job security in a shifting landscape? Research from Oxford University attempts to offers a data-driven view to the knock-on effects of shifting job requirements in the wake of AI going mainstream.

Analyzing 12 million US job postings over five years, the Oxford Internet Institute found that while AI is replacing some lower-level IT skills, overall automation is driving job growth. And, along with new AI-specific roles, demand has risen for complementary skills such as digital literacy, teamwork, and self-management.

The strongest formula for security and pay appears in AI-focused roles that combine technical proficiency with skills such as resilience, agility, and analytical thinking. “These skills command a significant wage premium,” the report notes. “Data scientists, for instance, are offered 5-10% higher salaries if they also possess resilience or ethics capabilities.”

Experts here outline how to build a mix of technical expertise, AI fluency, and soft skills to future-proof your IT career given anticipated changes ahead.

A premium on problem-solving and adaptability

In the next half decade, easily replicated skills such as basic coding, documentation, and support tasks will likely decline in demand. And experts say skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability will be top of mind for hiring managers.

“Over the next three to five years, the typical IT career path will shift from purely technical support to a blended model of human and refined technical skills,” says Carter Busse, CIO at Workato. “Success will hinge on collaboration with business leaders, acting as an architect to align initiatives with business objectives.”

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 offers a similar forecast for skills in demand in 2030, which include creative thinking, flexibility, agility, and lifelong learning.

New demands for starting out

Because much entry-level IT work will be replaced by automation, the bar will be higher for those attempting to kick off IT careers.

“As AI increasingly handles repetitive support tasks, the entry point into IT shifts upward,” says Brock Bingham, senior content engineer at device management developer PDQ. “New hires will need a broader, more technical foundation from day one.”

Lakshmikant Gundavarapu, chief innovation officer at data science company Tredence, points to AI code development tools such as Replit and Cursor that minimize the need for basic coding and shrink project timelines by 20% to 30%.

“Rather than replacing roles, tools like gen AI and coding assistants are reducing the time and effort required for repetitive tasks,” he says, advising IT pros “to build skills such as the ability to stitch together systems and align models with business goals, so that you remain irreplaceable.”

As junior-level job requirements grow more demanding, networking, certifications, and consulting experiences can help launch a successful IT career, says Thomas Phelps, CIO of Laserfiche.

“Join a consulting firm like Accenture or PwC out of college,” Phelps says. “It’s one of the fastest ways to build skills and move up. “And get certified in AI or security, then join associations to expand your network — like ISACA or SIM.”

Nate Paynter, human capital services leader at Deloitte Consulting, says early-career IT staff should lean into the oldest soft skill in the book: networking.

“Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends research shows that 28% of early-career workers report fewer on-the-job learning opportunities due to AI,” Paynter says. “It’s critical for individuals to proactively seek out projects, mentors, and moments of informal growth.”

AI fluent — but with a skeptical eye

A 2025 McKinsey & Co. report points out that both managers and employees share a number of concerns about AI: inaccuracies, related cybersecurity risks, and misuse, among others. The report notes that AI output can’t be trusted for critical tasks if there’s no justification for its output — and AI frequently makes mistakes, requiring professionals who understand its limits.

“Even sophisticated AI-recommended solutions still need an expert to oversee them,” says Justin Luke, IT director at marketing agency newmedia.com. “This is someone who can find missing information, make sure everything meets regulations, or notice logic errors that aren’t obvious at first. It’s common for one out of every four or five pieces of AI-generated code to introduce problems that only pop up during actual use.”

Luke says in the past two years AI has taken over a lot of repetitive coding work, assembly, and other low-level functions, but there’s an upside for tech staff.

“AI is pushing attention toward more valuable skills like designing systems, working across teams, solving deep technical problems, and managing risks,” he says. “Now the developers who stand out are the ones who treat what large language models produce as a draft, not a final product. The most important skill isn’t just writing code anymore. It’s being able to check, refine, and even doubt what the AI suggests.”

Aaron Stanley, vice president of security at dbt Labs, says IT pros need to develop good instincts about when computer-generated content shouldn’t be trusted: “AI often loses details and can draw the wrong conclusions. The challenge is balancing automation with judgment.”

Hyper-speed upskilling to overcome career-path disruption

The Future of Jobs Report predicts nearly 40% of core skills will be disrupted by 2030. As a result, companies are increasingly offering programs for continuous learning, upskilling, and reskilling. About half of those surveyed for the study said their workforce had completed skills training as part of long-term learning strategies.

“I’ve seen major shifts in technology over the years, but the tsunami of disruption today is unprecedented,” says Laserfiche’s Phelps. “Traditional paths in software development, infrastructure, and security are changing fast.”

Tomas Kazragis, vice president of engineering at marketing automation vendor Omnisend, says the near future of IT work may look very different than it does today.

“Right now, it still feels like coding — we use precise prompts to get the outputs we need,” Kazragis says. “But within just a few years, natural voice commands may become commonplace. The results themselves may also evolve, moving from lines of code to ready‑made, interactive prototypes.”

The rise of the generalist and interdisciplinary IT

Success in the near future will depend less on narrow expertise — mastering a specific technology stack for example — and more on evaluating, adapting, and applying the right tools to solve organizational problems.

“People shift into cloud, security, data, or AI work depending on business need,” says Chris Camacho, COO and co-founder at Abstract Security. “Titles matter less than visible proof-of-work — small wins shared internally or publicly. Pick a lane and go deep, then layer AI expertise on top. And show your work — on GitHub, LinkedIn, wherever recruiters can see results.”

Justina Nixon-Saintil, global chief impact officer at IBM, says success in the future will favor those who are adaptable and use AI to amplify creativity rather than replace it.

“Technology roles are evolving from traditional tasks into more dynamic, interdisciplinary pathways that blend technical expertise with strategic thinking,” Nixon-Saintil says. “Those who can navigate the ethical challenges of AI and technology will succeed, leveraging innovation responsibly to solve complex problems and anticipate evolving business needs. You’ll not only future-proof your career but also unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation.”

Beth Scagnoli, vice president of product management of Redpoint Global, agrees the successful pro of the near future will easily move between related but traditionally separate IT domains, such as system architecture and development.

“They will shift on a dime to think like a product manager, understand data like a business analyst, and communicate like a strategist,” Scagnoli says. “Deep technical knowledge will still matter, but mastery across disciplines — especially data literacy and AI fluency — will separate those who will stay still or move up with agility.”

Orchestrating AI to redefine the work itself

Future IT careers will require broad, system-level integration, says Chris Cook, senior director of technical interview content at Karat.

“Success will come from knowing how to design secure, compliant, explainable systems,” Cook says. “The days of optimizing one service in isolation are over. Next-gen interviews will be less about data structures and algorithms and more about leveraging AI solutions to update complex code bases and integrate new features without disrupting existing workflows or injecting vulnerabilities.”

Leadership skills at every level will become increasingly important, experts say. Stanley of dbt Labs says future IT workers will think of AI agents as a team to be managed. Like any other team, they will benefit from a clear vision.

“Lean into areas where AI can help accelerate your learning curve,” Stanley says. “They do best with a lot of context and clear, concise, and actionable instructions.”

Deloitte Consulting’s latest research reports 62% of leaders say orchestrating technology across siloed divisions is key to their success, Deloitte’s Paynter says.

“Yet only 6% say they’re making great progress on that front,” he adds. “Today’s IT professionals are not only navigating changing career paths — they’re helping organizations redefine work itself.”

Futureproofing checklist

As AI continues to redefine IT career paths, here are key steps IT professionals can take to stay ahead:

Develop complementary talents: Technical know-how should be bolstered by skills that see greater demand and higher pay. These include analytical thinking, agility, and technical proficiency. Looking to 2030, the WEF Future of Jobs Report advises: “Skills such as AI and big data; analytical thinking; creative thinking; resilience, flexibility and agility; and technological literacy are not only considered critical now but are also projected to become even more important.”

Step away (slowly) from ‘substitute’ skills: On the flip side, IT pros should avoid careers focused on easily automated skills, such as data review, QA, or documentation, which see lower pay and are losing value.

Adapt a continuous learning mindset: Reskilling through continuous learning is key, versus one-off training, because automation keeps moving the baseline. According to the Future of Jobs Report, employers say “investment in reskilling and upskilling is now an integral part of their long-term workforce strategies.”

Show your work: Experts advise networking through associations and the open-source community, where you can practice and demonstrate desirable soft skills such as leadership, resiliency, and ethics.

Hybrid skill sets provide security: As the IT career landscape evolves, blended skill sets will continue to rise in demand. For example, data scientists will earn higher salaries if their technical skills are bolstered by adaptive and ethical skills. LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report advises employers to promote leadership training and coaching to develop skills that keep up with business needs.