Software Developer Job Postings Rise Amid AI Coding Automation
Despite advancements in AI automating coding tasks, U.S. software developer job postings have increased by nearly 15%, bucking a broader market decline. Growth is concentrated in senior and AI-focused roles.
U.S. job postings for software development roles have seen a nearly 15% increase since February 2025, defying a 7% fall in overall job postings. This trend complicates predictions that artificial intelligence would rapidly diminish the need for developers.
AI tools are becoming increasingly proficient at coding. GitHub reported that in October, one in three 'pull requests'—where developers propose code changes—involved an AI agent. A year prior, this figure was less than one in ten. Some experts suggest that a majority of code submitted to GitHub in the future may be AI-generated.
Labor market researchers indicate the profession is evolving rather than disappearing. Research from McKinsey Global Institute suggests the prior decline in software development was not solely due to AI but also followed a hiring pullback after a pandemic-era surge. However, postings remain approximately 27.5% below pre-pandemic levels.
The recent increase in job postings is concentrated in senior-level positions and those focused on AI. Indeed Hiring Lab data shows senior roles accounted for 71% of the rise in software development postings between May 2025 and May 2026. Job titles mentioning AI constituted 37% of this increase.