Agentic AI reshaping tech hiring policies, say CTOs and CIOs

Demand for software development skills in AI-related roles is set to fall next year as agentic AI accelerates across business markets, according to an IEEE industry survey.

Or so says research by the global technical professional organization, which polled 400 CIOs, CTOs and IT directors in Brazil, China, Japan, India, the UK, and the US.

IEEE states that nearly all professionals expect agentic AI innovation to continue at "lightning speed" in 2026, as both established enterprises and startups deepen investments and commitments to the technology.

The technology is reshaping hiring priorities in tech departments. Demand for software development skills in AI roles dropped 8 percentage points to 32 percent compared to last year. Meanwhile, employers increasingly seek AI ethics expertise (44 percent, up 9 points); data analysis skills (38 percent, up 4 points); and machine learning capabilities (up 6 points).

Paradoxically, 39 percent of respondents plan to use agentic AI ...