Staffing agency: AI is not replacing tech workers, but increasing demand for them

AI is by no means replacing tech workers but is reshaping demand for them, staffing firm Randstad reports in a new study. The rapidly expanding technology is actually driving growth in tech headcount at many organizations.

“Nearly nine in ten managers are expanding their tech teams to scale services with AI and increase revenue,” the report says. At the same time, the skills required are shifting, Randstad finds. Job openings for developers with generative AI expertise rose 135 percent last year and more than doubled again in the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2025.

The study surveyed 1,100 senior professionals worldwide and incorporated data from more than 20 million job postings and roughly 100 million candidate profiles. More than half of employers also report that hiring of entry-level tech staff is not declining.

With persistent talent shortages, companies are sometimes “borrowing” specialized expertise through temporary workers, freelancers, or part-time employees who work across multiple organizations, Randstad says. Many are also looking more frequently abroad.

As AI increasingly takes on routine tasks, the main bottleneck is finding people who can direct and oversee it. “Employers need people who can work with AI from day one and increasingly people with judgment, communication skills, and insight into governance to ensure it actually delivers results,” said Randstad CEO Sander van ’t Noordende. “That combination is now the hardest to find.”