Top of the stack: the most in-demand AI roles in tech

Tech leaders are willing to overlook experience to gain AI skills

As AI continues to set the pace of change, these are the roles companies are seeking to secure their ticket to ride, writes Harvey Nash’s Daniel Neaves.

AI has been the dominant topic in tech for the last eighteen months or more, with increasing numbers of businesses thinking about how and where it could be incorporated into their operations and ways of working.

We see this in the recently published Nash Squared/Harvey Nash Digital Leadership Report (DLR) 2025, which found that 90% of global technology leaders are at least piloting AI in parts of their business – a significant jump from 59% in 2023.

The drive towards AI is also affecting the skills employers are looking for. Almost two thirds (65%) of tech leaders say they would choose an AI-enabled software developer with just two years’ experience over one with a five-year career but without AI skills.

It’s an eye-catching statistic, even if amongst many mid-size businesses in non-tech industries, my experience is that adoption of AI – and therefore the prioritisation of AI skills – is still in the early stages. Nevertheless, it has begun and in my view there’s no doubt that demand will rapidly increase moving forward.

If you are building your career in technology and want to know where AI skills are already showing up as important criteria, here are five roles that I would particularly call out:

#1 Software Developer

It won’t be a surprise to see this at the top of the list. AI is increasingly becoming part of how software development is delivered. Generative AI – especially ChatGPT or Copilot through GitHub – can be a powerful assistance tool to coders and developers, helping them write code, test it, and check for (and fix) bugs. It speeds up the process and, used correctly, helps achieve higher quality outputs.

We’re still at the stage where AI skills are part of the job specification rather than the main feature – but having said that, I recently received a mandate from a client for a Generative AI Engineer. Putting AI in the job title feels like a significant shift.

The ability to leverage AI is quickly becoming more critical to software development roles. We’re already seeing that, due to AI, companies are sometimes recruiting fewer developers than they would have in the past – AI is taking more of the strain for simple coding, with skilled professionals checking the outputs and spending more time on value-adding strategic work. It’s a fundamental shift.

#2 Machine Learning Engineer

Next on the list is a form of AI in itself: machine learning. It has become ever more essential for ML professionals to align their work with generative and agentic AI, such as in the design of AI-powered chatbots.

There is no doubt that chatbots will continue to spread and become absolutely pervasive, especially in customer service-related functions. They are also moving from text-based to become voice and image orientated too. Rather than simply responding to specific questions from a customer, the chatbots being developed today are becoming more autonomous through agentic AI, making decisions and leading customers through an entire end-to-end process. AI is powering this, and ML Engineers are at the heart of it.

#3 Data Scientist

Across businesses of all kinds, data scientists play a key role in analysing data and drawing business insights from it. To do this, they are increasingly utilising AI. Using predictive modelling and NLP techniques, they are harnessing AI’s analytical power as core to their skillset. It won’t be long before a data scientist that is not well-versed in multiple AI models will find it harder to secure work.

#4 Product Manager

As they manage technology products and functions within their organisation’s technical environment, Product Managers need to understand and be able to leverage ML and AI algorithms that help them track current performance and make forecasts for the future.

As they need to work closely with ML Engineers and Data Scientists, understanding AI is essential if PMs are to be able to take the outputs of those colleagues’ work and evaluate them in the context of developing and enhancing their product. Product Managers are also increasingly using AI to run competitor analysis, as well as for ideas generation. A good PM is confident with AI – and this will soon be a pre-requisite.

#5 ML Ops Engineer/AI Infrastructure Engineer

An important role in a business that is striving to be AI-driven, these team members help ensure that AI systems actually work and contribute to the overall service offering or product lines a business may have.

ML Ops/AI Infrastructure Engineers package, deploy and scale models into production systems that users and end products depend on, bridging between data science innovation and customer facing features. A deep understanding of AI and the ability to implement it into solutions is core to what they do.

Without doubt, demand for IT professionals with AI experience and knowledge is growing. At the moment, this is mainly on an informal basis, but it may not be long before employers look for specific AI proof-points. Candidates who can demonstrate that they have worked with AI in live environments will definitely have the edge for many tech roles over those who can’t.

The clock is ticking – it is highly advisable for anyone working in technology with ambitions for the future to look for opportunities to work with AI. On a personal basis, if you’re not already, start using some of the main AI platforms as a productivity tool – writing documents and summaries, or creating presentations. Also look at available AI learning programmes – many online resources are free.

On a more structured basis, put your hand up for any AI-related opportunities at your current employer, and investigate whether your company runs or gives access to any AI training.

AI is already all around us. It is set to transform the tech industry. Get on the train now, because the longer you leave it, the harder you will find it to clamber onboard.

Daniel Neaves is a senior recruitment consultant at Harvey Nash.