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ZDNET's key takeaways
Tech hiring for the next quarter is steady compared to a year ago.
AI may be driving much of the continuing demand for tech talent.
Those demands might be driving a rise in contract work.
The conventional wisdom is that artificial intelligence is gutting our workforce, both technical and non-technical. So far, there is little evidence that the job apocalypse is taking place. If anything, the need for people to build AI systems and to keep them honest is keeping hiring for both full-time tech professionals and contract workers relatively robust.
Two recent surveys, from ManpowerGroup and UpWork, paint a relatively positive picture for tech-related hiring for both jobs and gigs for the past month and the upcoming quarter. Manpower's Experis group says the IT hiring picture slipped by a couple of percentage points, but nothing dramatic. UpWork says it is tracking a rise in demand for contracted skills in project management and localization, likely associated with artificial intelligence projects. AI skills in demand include Python, video editing, and graphic design.
Also: Forensic vibers wanted - and 10 other new job roles AI could create
Close to half of tech employers globally, 48%, plan to hire this quarter (Q4), according to a survey of 6,533 IT employers across 42 countries by Experis. The US tech sector has one of the strongest hiring outlooks globally, with a majority of tech employers, 58%, planning to increase headcount during this quarter. Only 11% indicated they plan to cut back.
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