HOW ARE ICT WORKFORCE SPECIALISTS ADJUSTING TO THE RISE OF AI?

Abstract: According to Eurostat data, over the last decade, the number of ICT specialists in the EU has increased nearly seven times more than the overall increase in total employment. In terms of gender distribution, the same data indicated that by the end of 2023, the number of men in this field was more than four times higher than that of women in the EU (80.60% vs. 19.40%). Approximately two-thirds of these specialists had completed tertiary education (66.7%). Due to the huge role they have in the current development process, decision-makers have an interest in tracking employment developments for ICT specialists. From this perspective, Romania appears to be facing challenges in the labor market for this sector, with data indicating a trend of decreasing specialists in software development. Essentially, AI has led to increased automation, resulting in projects being executed with smaller budgets and fewer personnel. Keywords: digital challenges, digital transformation, gender balance, ICT specialists, rejuvenation of ICT specialists, tertiary education JEL Classification: O3, Z10, Z13