Data showing panic over AI taking our jobs might be unjustified

A lot has been and will continue to be said about AI’s impact on the tech job market. Usually, it’s bad news. But in fact, the new technology seems to be creating rather than destroying jobs, a new survey says.

According to a talent survey from the Linux Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 2000 to support Linux development and open-source software projects, the future is, in fact, bright.

Respondents were four times as likely to say that AI is increasing software development jobs rather than decreasing them. 32% said AI has increased the number of positions, and only 8% saw a decline.

Moreover, AI is also credited for increases in overall headcount at the respondents’ organizations. 33% say there are now more jobs, and only 12% claim AI is responsible for a smaller headcount, the “2025 State of Tech Talent Report” said.

The results in the Linux Foundation’s report came from a survey of 556 people who either hire, train or recruit IT professionals. Presumably, they know what they’re seeing.

However, the outlook for entry-level tech roles is more concerning. 18% said AI has decreased this type of job in the technical workforce, and 24% of respondents said that many traditional entry-level tasks are now handled by AI tools.

This correlates to the findings of another recent report by SignalFire, a venture capital firm, that said that the hiring of new graduates at big tech companies such as Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla has declined by more than 50% since 2022.

“As AI tools take over more routine, entry-level tasks, companies are prioritizing roles that deliver high-leverage technical output,” points out the report.

“Big tech is doubling down on machine learning and data engineering, while non-technical functions like recruiting, product, and sales keep shrinking, making it especially tough for Gen Z and early-career talent to break in.”

LinkedIn’s chief economic opportunity officer, Aneesh Raman, also wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times that AI may pose a significant threat to millions of students who will be graduating this year.

Raman even likened today's situation to that of the decline of the manufacturing sector in the 1980s, which saw a steep fall. “Breaking first is the bottom rung of the career ladder,” he said.