In 2023, the tech skill most in demand by recruiters was web development. This was closely followed by DevOps and database software skills. Interestingly, over 16 percent of recruiters were actively seeking individuals with cybersecurity skills. Not far behind, AI/Machine learning/Deep learning ranked fourth, with approximately 25 percent of respondents identifying it as their most sought-after tech skill. These preferences align with the skills that developers worldwide are keen to acquire, particularly web development and AI/Machine learning/Deep learning.

AI at the forefront of IT skills Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, demand for AI and automation skills has increased across all sectors. In 2023, ChatGPT was the leading technology skill globally according to topic consumption on Udemy Business, experiencing a massive growth of over 4,400 percent in global topic consumption. In the same year, over 82 percent of software developers reported using AI to help write code in the development workflow, while another 49 percent said they currently use it for debugging code.

Different languages for different needs JavaScript and Java, commonly used for back-end and front-end web development, were the most demanded programming languages worldwide in 2022, followed by SQL and Python. By industry, JavaScript and Java hold the fort in the IT services and aviation industries, while SQL was more popular in the healthcare sector as well as the marketing and advertising industries. Python, well suited for data science applications, was more commonly used in the manufacturing, education, and energy industries.