US developer job openings rise nearly 15% despite AI — CNBC
In the United States, the number of job openings for software developers has increased by nearly 15% since February 2025, when Anthropic launched Claude Code. This is happening amid an overall decline in job postings and more active use of artificial intelligence for programming, CNBC reports.
According to Indeed Hiring Lab, demand for specialists is recovering after a sharp decline from the 2022 hiring peak, when technology companies reduced recruitment following the pandemic boom. At the same time, the number of job postings for developers is still about 27.5% below its pre-pandemic level.
Demand has concentrated on experienced specialists
The bulk of the increase in job openings was in senior and AI-related positions. According to Indeed Hiring Lab, senior roles accounted for 71% of the growth in developer job postings between May 2025 and May 2026. Another 37% of the increase came from positions with AI mentioned in their titles.
Indeed Hiring Lab economist Sneha Puri noted that companies need developers not only to write code. They must oversee AI output, improve products and help clients integrate new technologies into daily processes. According to her, demand is growing for workers able to apply AI tools in business, rather than only create them.
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Entering the profession is becoming more difficult
At the same time, the situation for young specialists remains uncertain. According to Stanford University's 2026 AI Index, employment in occupations affected by AI among people aged 22 to 25 fell by 16% after the spread of generative artificial intelligence. For developers at the start of their careers, the decline was 20%, while the number of senior positions is increasing.
GitHub reported that one in three pull requests — proposals for changes to shared software code — already involves the use of an AI agent. A year earlier, this figure was less than one in ten. The company also warned that as the volume of generated code grows, so do the risks of vulnerabilities, meaning human oversight remains necessary.
In its August report, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projected 10% growth in software developer employment in 2025–2035 — from approximately 1.72 million to 1.89 million jobs. This means about 174,700 new positions will be created.
