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9 AI-proof IT jobs, plus how to be irreplaceable
As automation and artificial intelligence tools do more work in more organizations, some technologists are worried AI will take their job. Learn which jobs are safest and why.
With the rise of AI, job security concerns in IT are growing.
AI excels at tasks that require repetitive and focused attention and speed. It also excels at a number of technical and analytical tasks. Already, generative AI (GenAI) assists in software development and coding error prediction.
Yet, while there are many areas where AI offers exciting possibilities, the need for human skills will remain. Focusing on tech and IT careers that capitalize on AI's limitations, such as interpersonal skills, is the key to staying relevant.
So, which specific IT jobs have the most job protection from AI?
To find out, the author spoke with the following labor and staffing experts:
- Joel Oleson, technology architect at video game and digital entertainment company Sony Interactive Entertainment.
- Donald Welch, global CIO at New York University, a private research university in New York City.
- Kenneth Corriveau, CIO at performance marketing firm Tinuiti, which is based in New York City.
- Bill Balint, CIO at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a public research university in Indiana, Pa.
They offered job forecasts and predictions on which IT jobs were safe against AI replacement. Those job descriptions and justifications were then merged into thematic profiles of job roles, which are listed alphabetically. In all cases, those interested in a given career should also learn relevant AI skills, especially ways in which the technology could support the role.
1. Business analyst
What the role entails
Business analysts provide a bridge between IT and the business. They understand business requirements, are experienced with technology and data opportunities, and have skills at influencing people to collaborate for optimal business solutions.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
As with all the roles listed here, a business analyst needs strong interpersonal skills, which will continue to be outside the range of AI's capabilities for the foreseeable future. AI can crunch data far faster than any business analyst can. But the tech cannot build relationships, access empathy or understand the nuances of human feelings and communication. Business analysts can use those soft skills to understand software needs.
How to train or upskill for this role
Business analysts typically have a range of technical skills that focus on data analysis and visualization, as well as experience with business intelligence (BI) tools. But they should also work on developing strong people skills, particularly in communication and presentation, and work to understand the business needs and mission.
2. Cybersecurity engineer
What the role entails
Organizations continually need skilled security pros to protect the enterprise, and security threats grow more frequent and more severe every day. As AI evolves, hackers will take advantage of new capabilities and use AI tools to write the malicious code they need to launch cyberattacks.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
With advances in AI, organizations face unprecedented security risks. That makes this job role critical. The most successful cybersecurity engineers will be those professionals that acquire advanced AI skills themselves, helping them be better at detecting risk and at investigating threats identified by the system.
How to train or upskill for this role
These professionals should continually seek out training in new technologies, while learning as much about their own organization's business goals as possible. This will enable them to better understand and identify where the top security vulnerabilities are.
3. End-user support professional
What the role entails
End-user support professionals train employees on organizational software and provide support in the event of technology problems. They focus on ensuring that staff can execute their tasks and fully use available tools.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
Hands-on, one-on-one training and assistance will always be important, and it is beyond the current capabilities of AI. Further, the more complex technology adoption becomes at an organization, the more likely that many employees will struggle with it.
How to train or upskill for this role
Those who want an end-user support role should have an IT-related certification or degree and excellent customer service skills. The role remains a traditional path into an organization's IT department.
4. Data analyst
What the role entails
Data analysts analyze business and product data, produce reports and insights on the findings, and make predictions about future outcomes. In a nutshell, they glean insights from data on how to better solve business problems and engage customers.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
The data analyst's job will only become more necessary and demanding. Being able to act on data depends on the insights of someone who can recognize trends and patterns in the data. Humans will still be needed to contextualize and interpret sensitive or murky data. Data analysts will also need to ensure data truthfulness and accuracy. Moreover, organizations will continue to need data integration and analytics to drive decision-making.
How to train or upskill for this role
IT pros should pick a BI platform that appears to be in hypergrowth mode and that industry experts rank as a market leader. Then, they should get as much experience as possible working with the tool.
5. Data governance professional
What the role entails
Data governance professionals create frameworks about data use. They work on understanding, defining, cataloging and determining who has access to what data and under what conditions.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
AI tools scrape, crawl and ingest more data every day. In turn, the need for guardrails is becoming exponentially more critical. Data governance professionals define what groups or individuals have access to which kinds of data and how they can use them. Organizations need data governance professionals to set standards and policies surrounding data availability, usability and security. And that need will only grow in the age of AI.
How to train or upskill for this role
Data governance professionals should earn a computer science- or business administration-related degree. Those interested in this growing and changing field should consider training in data management, data privacy and information security, as well as government and industry governance frameworks.
6. Data privacy professional
What the role entails
Data privacy professionals uphold the frameworks that govern data, protecting personal information and ensuring organizational compliance.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
Like data governance, data privacy is an expanding field. AI tools are gathering and processing more and more data, even as compliance legislation mandates that organizations uphold stricter safeguards. Data privacy professionals are critical to ensuring that employees' and customers' data is kept safe. They can even help a company gain a competitive edge as they support a company's reputation as trustworthy.
How to train or upskill for this role
Data privacy professionals come from a range of educational backgrounds, but common ones include law, cybersecurity and computer science. Training for these professionals should focus on the interdisciplinary nature of legal, technology and business skills that characterize the field.
7. IAM engineer
What the role entails
Identity and access management engineers develop, test and implement IAM systems that ensure only authorized users and devices get access to sensitive data.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
While AI might become a part of IAM efforts, the need for IAM engineers is growing as the number of technologies that hold data is increasing at an exponential rate -- from cloud platforms to IoT devices to social media platforms and more. As the number of endpoints increases, so does the need to secure and protect who has access to them.
How to train or upskill for this role
IAM engineers typically need a computer science-related degree, as well as knowledge of authentication frameworks and technologies, such as JSON Web Token. They also need a wide background in technologies such as single sign-on, programming languages and OSes.
8. IT director
What the role entails
The role of IT director or manager requires a high level of technology expertise. But it also requires strong business acumen, the ability to inspire people to achieve a common goal, coaching skills and the ability to develop talent and assign work.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
What makes an IT director most valuable is how well they interact with people and inspire employees. Those are skills that AI can't offer.
How to train or upskill for this role
Candidates for this role should thoroughly understand the processes and practices that form an organization's business model. They must be able to communicate and motivate IT staff to apply appropriate technology to achieve those goals.
9. IT product manager
What the role entails
An IT product manager manages tech adoption, change management and service management strategies. The role represents platform ownership to the organization, including HR platforms, productivity tools, and various applications and services.
Why or how the role is AI-resistant
The role of IT product manager is built on the human element of change and release management. Employees need a friendly human face -- especially during times of change. Product management professionals capitalize on human skills, such as communication, adoption strategies and release management.
How to train or upskill for this role
IT product managers typically have a degree in a related field, such as a computer science degree. Those interested in moving in the product management career track should seek out project management training tracks in software development, project management or product management. They should also look at obtaining relevant certifications and getting firsthand experience.
How to stay relevant in the AI age
Automation will create a number of changes across the technology career field, so staying relevant requires understanding trends.
Technology support will become largely self-service, and call centers will be less applicable as more information becomes easily accessible, Oleson said.
Productivity gains from automation will be at the heart of sweeping changes.
"AI will help people to be more productive, and therefore, we won't need as many in that role," Welch said.
Higher-level interpersonal jobs are the safest, Welch said. That includes business analysts, service managers and hands-on technical people. Jobs with more mundane tasks will be consolidated first.
With so much change and disruption happening in IT and AI advancing at a dramatic pace, continuous learning is essential to ensure job security and growth in any role.
IT pros should be adaptable and focus on growing their knowledge and skills in the field of AI, Corriveau said.
Professionals should look for opportunities to strategically implement AI technology and learn how to effectively use it to execute work, he said.
"If you identify areas of your job that can be automated with AI, take the initiative to bring that about," Corriveau said. "This will not only give you valuable experience with AI, but also showcase your skills to your employer and potentially open up new career opportunities."
Taking a business mindset is key.
Having a thorough understanding of a given AI technology and its application in the business is crucial, Balint said.
David Weldon is a business and technology writer in the Boston area who covers topics related to data management, information security, healthcare technology, educational technology and workforce management.
