Demand for AI skills is gradually becoming the norm in the job market. At the same time, the need for traditional programming languages such as Java and WordPress is declining.
Malt, a European freelance platform from France, examines the freelance labor market in its annual Tech Trends report. One trend stands out for the company. Knowledge and experience with artificial intelligence are no longer considered a specialization by employers, but a basic skill, while classic programming languages are less in demand. This shift reflects a fundamental change in how companies deploy technology and what they expect from temporary workers.
The transformation of AI from a supporting tool to an operational force brings new challenges. Organizations are not only looking for experts who can build systems, but also for professionals who can manage the financial and regulatory implications of this technology. The balance between innovation and compliance is becoming increasingly important.
AI agents are conquering the job market
The demand for experts who can design and implement AI agents has increased sixtyfold in just twelve months. Where AI used to be used primarily for decision support, it is now taking over tasks itself: automating, orchestrating, and optimizing processes. This shift is creating an unprecedented demand for skills that go beyond traditional software development.
Non-technical roles also now require mandatory AI knowledge, Malt observes. One in five job postings explicitly mentions that basic knowledge of artificial intelligence is required, even for non-technical roles. This illustrates how AI is becoming a new ‘language’ within organizations, regardless of department or function.
European employers are therefore fully on board the AI hype train. However, we also hear from industry experts that the promise of fully autonomous agents, as promised by the major AI players, is still many years away. That doesn’t stop employers from seeking sufficient competencies and building experience now.
One in five job postings explicitly mentions that basic knowledge of artificial intelligence is required.
Malt Tech Trends Report 2026
Java and WordPress out of style
The need for AI skills is causing demand for expertise in classic programming languages like Java and WordPress to drop sharply, by twenty to thirty percent according to Malt’s report. Freelancers are shifting their focus to new technologies that better align with current market demand. Low-code and no-code solutions are rapidly gaining popularity, with a tenfold increase in the use of tools like n8n.
This shift doesn’t mean traditional skills are becoming irrelevant, but rather that their relative importance is decreasing. Companies are now prioritizing the design of intelligent, connected systems over manual coding. AI tools like Claude Code are already capable, to some extent, of taking manual programming work off developers’ hands.
This is especially bad news for junior profiles, who used to be brought in for that kind of work. This is also evident from research by Stanford University. The number of job openings for junior developers has dropped by 20 percent since November 2022, or since the commercial launch of ChatGPT.
Costs and regulation drive AI integration
The rise of AI comes with significant costs. Infrastructures for advanced models can be ten to twenty times more expensive than traditional solutions. This explains the sharp 72 percent increase in FinOps projects, aimed at cost control and efficiency.
In parallel, demand for regulatory expertise is rising by three hundred and eighty percent. With the implementation of the European AI Act, organizations are en masse seeking professionals who can help with compliance with these new regulations. Solutions like Azure OpenAI and Scaleway are seeing their usage explode by five hundred and thirty-five percent respectively.
Wanted: Leadership
The integration of AI requires new types of leaders who can connect technological, strategic, and regulatory aspects. Demand for temporary or interim roles such as CTO, CDO, or Chief AI Officer is rising by twenty-three percent. These professionals must help companies implement artificial intelligence responsibly and effectively.
This development shows that AI is triggering not just a technological, but also an organizational revolution. Companies are looking for leaders who can manage the complexity of this transformation and translate it into measurable business value.