akinbostanci/iStock / Getty Images Plus Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Tech professionals' concerns about layoffs have decreased. At the same time, there is less job hunting. AI looms, but other factors are also influencing career paths. Technology professionals appear to be less likely to be job hunting and seem to be more satisfied with the jobs they have. Or, perhaps, they are just staying put because it's tough out there? Professionals are less concerned about layoffs, a recent survey from Indeed found. At this point, 31% say they're worried about layoffs at their companies, down from 39% a year ago. Even more dramatically, 41% would consider looking for a new job if their company had layoffs that didn't directly impact them -- this is down significantly from 70% a year ago. There's some disturbing news as well in the survey data: 26% report tech talent was let go or laid off because of AI. More than one-third, 35%, are also concerned that AI may be able to take over their role. Tech management postings are down 19% from a year ago, and postings for non-management tech pros are down 34%. Also: AI is more likely to transform your job than replace it, Indeed finds Indeed's findings are based on its own job-posting data, as well as the views of 1,000 tech pros, collected between May 22 and June 10, 2025. On the brighter side, Indeed found that there is a range of tech skills in high demand -- but rarely listed by candidates in their resumes. These sought-after skills include distributed computing, machine learning frameworks, model deployment, and site reliability engineering. Looking at the slowdown in job hunting, some observers are calling this trend the "great stay" -- a reversal from the "great resignation" seen a few years back. Is AI to blame? The economy? All of the above? "The threat from AI is not what's causing tech people to stay put," said Steve Morris, founder and CEO at NewMedia.com. "It's the riskiness of the job market." So far, AI, for the most part, has not led to the job cuts feared. "So yes, we can say that tech workers' discomfort with AI as an existential threat has abated," Morris added. "Most tech workers do not want to quit right now, because it's such a risky time to find a new job. And those who do have a say in how AI is deployed in their teams are, on average, happier about it." Most junior-level tech workers "only get to do grunt work," Morris explained. "That makes it extra risky to leave a job where you at least have your own corner of the domain context." 'A cacophony of unstable environments' AI may only explain part of the great stay trend. "It's a cacophony of unstable environments -- tariffs, AI, geopolitics -- that are making people stay, make do, or lock in -- all for the wrong reasons," said Caroline Stokes, workplace author and coach. "Until recently, people wanted to move on from their organization because their managers weren't decisive, driven, innovative, ethical, or respectful, combined with a lack of investment in the areas the business needed to move into -- AI." The recent stampede to AI, rather than raise fears about tech job displacement, has given many tech professionals encouragement to stay and help build these systems, Stokes believes. Plus, professionals may be skittish about new companies they don't deeply know, she added. "What looks like a solid bet to join a major company falls short right now when they hear of big companies closing studios and projects later in the year because of financial impacts. That insecurity alone is a red flag. Organizations need to do more to lure people away from their perceived safe role, if they want to hire them. And the incoming trend will be for contracts to provide safety nets in case of project or company or studio closure." Also: Forensic vibers wanted - and 10 other new job roles AI could create Then there's the "better-the-devil-you-know" syndrome, Stokes added, explaining that when people have bills to pay and other responsibilities, the risk of changing jobs and the uncertainty that comes with it might not be worth the stress. Market and economic uncertainty -- more so than AI -- are holding back job hunts, said Phil Willburn, vice president of people analytics, insights, and experiences at Workday. "This is especially true in the technology sector, where the story is one of significant internal career stagnation -- not stability." Workday's own data showed that "while hiring demand in tech remains one of the highest among industries -- with new job requisition volume growing 29% year-over-year -- the market itself is slow and hyper-competitive," Willburn noted. More than half of open roles (57%) take over 30 days to fill, and each job offer in this sector attracts an average of 40 applications. "This challenging process means that even if employees want to leave, they struggle to find a new role." Living with AI fears Still, AI looms in the background of today's tech career landscape. "I don't think tech professionals have suddenly become more relaxed about AI," said Thalia-Maria Tourikis, certified health coach at Headway app. "The decline in tech vacancies is not purely AI's fault but rather a combination of changes following excessive hiring, general macroeconomic deterioration, and the partial impact of AI." This is leading to a redistribution of roles -- an increase in demand for AI-related roles like machine learning and a decline in demand for a number of traditional software jobs. "Employment rates remain relatively high, but opportunities for transitions and entry into the industry have decreased, which makes job searches more emotionally challenging, often followed by stress and burnout," said Tourikis. "That means people aren't staying put because they're comfortable, but it's kind of a strategic move in their careers." Also: Got AI skills? You can earn 43% more in your next job - and not just for tech work It's a time when technology professionals seek to build their portfolios and explore new areas of expertise, to get around the obstacles of job searching. "It's about agency in a time of stagnation, taking control of their careers by diversifying income streams, choosing meaningful projects on their own terms, and building resilience against whatever disruption comes next in the market," said Roei Samuel, founder and CEO of Connectd. "They're creating options rather than waiting for the market to thaw or betting everything on one employer." AI fear didn't disappear, he continued. "On the contrary, I think people are hyper-aware of it, but what that means for the market might take some time to come to the fore. For the smartest and most-driven portion of the talent field, the fear just got channeled into something more productive than panic or paralysis."