Will AI erode IT talent pipelines?

Generative AI is transforming functions throughout the enterprise, including in IT where its use has showcased the power of the technology. Take, for example, how gen AI is speeding service delivery and improving the accuracy of services provided by the IT help desk by “looking at the history of the call logs and then providing a perfectly contextualized response based on what has worked in the past,” says Nate Suda, senior director analyst for AI strategy at research firm Gartner and its CIO AI Ambassador.

AI's Impact on Skills and Jobs

Such AI success stories have many executives — and workers overall — believing that AI will make many jobs obsolete, or at least eliminate workers’ need to know how to perform fundamental tasks, eroding key skills and experience within the talent pipeline. AI coding assistants in particular are viewed by some as having the potential to eventually be. With the possibility of, how might the high-level skills necessary to guide future coding processes be attained if entry-level work is replaced by AI?

Research, Gartner’s Suda says, doesn’t bear such scenarios out. Rather, it shows that well-planned uses of gen AI, where the technology supports rather than replaces human workers, teaches workers how to do their jobs better and does so faster than other learning methods. “If you are someone with zero experience and getting an AI prompt every time you do a task, you’re going to get really good really, really fast,” Suda says.

According to Suda, Gartner researchers found over the course of a six-month study that the addition of gen AI to places like the help desk boosted productivity. And researchers also found that employees retained those elevated levels of productivity and customer satisfaction when gen AI was offline. “That strongly suggests that generative AI is teaching people to do their jobs better. And because it’s teaching them to do their jobs better, with that knowledge they then become more productive,” Suda explains. He concludes: “Gen AI is a teacher, not a doer.”

Concerns over Skills Persist

There is, however, evidence that AI will indeed result in lost skills. Studies show that increased. Among them is a, which found that the more an individual used AI tools to complete tasks, the less critical thinking they’re required to do, making it harder for the individual to muster those skills when needed.

Needed skills aren’t only at risk of disappearing; they also have a high likelihood to change. The says workers can expect 39% of their existing skill sets to be transformed or become outdated over the 2025-2030 period. The impact of AI in the IT workforce may be even more pronounced, with most IT professionals saying they expect a high percentage of their skills will be made obsolete by AI.

AI's Impact on Jobs and Skills

One 2024 study found that 74% of IT professionals are worried AI tools will make “” and 69% of IT workers believe they’re at risk of being replaced by AI. And a 2024 report from the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium found that 92% of IT jobs will see a. AI’s impact on jobs, skills AI’s perceived ability to automate tasks has workers and business leaders alike seeing human workers being replaced by AI in the years to come.

Nearly one third (32%) of workers believe AI’s use in the workplace will lead to fewer job opportunities for them in the long run. And according to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 report, 41% of employers globally — and 48% in the US — plan to downsize their workforce due to AI. That, though, is mostly not happening, Gartner’s Suda claims. “That’s what some are thinking: that AI will save us time and we can have headcount reduction. But that straight line to headcount reduction, we’re just not seeing that,” he observes.

AI's Impact on the Tech Workforce

Moreover, Suda says Gartner’s research shows AI does not benefit all workers equally. “Gen AI holds the potential to revolutionize productivity, but benefits are not uniform across workers,” he says. In fact, for some, generative AI actually increases time on task, Suda says.

More specifically, Gartner research shows that workers with low experience preforming tasks that are low in complexity are one of two groups that get the biggest boost. Highly experienced workers performing highly complex tasks is the other group that gets that biggest boost. Workers in the middle — such as less experienced workers doing tasks that have a higher level of complexity — “see a marginal increase in value and productivity,” he says. In IT, workers seeing the highest productivity gains are senior developers. “It’s not that AI is doing the work for the senior developers, rather it’s that AI is a thought partner for these individuals,” he explains.

Sanjeev Vohra, chief technology and innovation officer at IT services and consulting firm Genpact, sees synergy between AI and IT professionals driving significant value going forward. But to make good on the promise of AI, IT pros will need to change the way they work. “IT professionals will now need to focus more on interpreting AI outputs, ensuring accuracy, and making strategic decisions based on AI insights,” he says.

“This shift calls for stronger problem-framing abilities, a deeper understanding of AI ethics, and expertise in managing AI-driven workflows. Instead of routine coding, developers will play a greater role in system design, advanced debugging, and optimization.” To ensure they are able to get there, “entry-level IT professionals must master AI-assisted coding, debugging AI outputs, and prompt engineering while strengthening core programming and problem-solving skills. Adaptability, critical thinking, and ethical AI awareness are equally essential in this evolving landscape,” he says.

And IT leaders will have to establish training pathways to help lay the groundwork for new career paths. “AI is clearly reshaping IT career paths, shifting focus to dynamic, skills-based growth,” Vohra says. “For IT organizations, this demands a new approach to talent development — one that prioritizes AI fluency, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration.”

Like previous evolutions in IT work requirements, some current critical skills may quickly become irrelevant as AI and its use cases advance in the workplace. IT leaders who consider the impact this will have on their talent development strategies and pipelines will have a leg up in ensuring their organizations are primed to make the most of what’s to come.