A troubling trend has captured widespread attention: a viral chart highlighting the sharp decline in IT job vacancies on Indeed, one of the most popular job boards, has raised alarms across the industry.
The data shows that hiring requests for programmers have plummeted to a record low and continue to fall rapidly. In the past month alone, major companies have laid off 23,000 IT workers, including senior specialists with 15 years of experience who were once considered immune to such cuts.
Experts predict that this is just the beginning, as businesses increasingly turn to neural networks to replace human workers. Is it time to abandon coding bootcamps and head to the factory?
The updated chart tracks IT job postings on Indeed from early 2020 to April 2025, revealing a stark reality: software developer job postings have dropped to roughly 65% of their January 2020 levels, a 35% decline over five years.
The downturn has been particularly steep in the last two years, with over 25% of computer programming jobs disappearing—the most significant drop the industry has ever seen.
Layoffs have been relentless, with 23,000 tech workers let go in the last month alone. Even senior professionals with decades of experience are being affected, as companies prioritize cost-cutting and efficiency.
The driving force behind this shift is the rise of neural networks and AI. Businesses are increasingly adopting automation to handle tasks traditionally performed by human developers.
AI systems are cheaper, faster, and don’t require breaks, vacations, or salaries, making them an attractive alternative for corporations aiming to maximize profits.
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Since late 2022, global tech giants have laid off 635,000 workers, a staggering figure that underscores AI’s growing dominance in the tech labor market. The unemployment rate in the IT sector has risen to 5.7% as of January 2025, well above the overall U.S. jobless rate of 4%, according to recent economic reports.
Experts warn that this trend is set to accelerate. As AI technology continues to evolve, the demand for human developers could shrink dramatically—potentially requiring 10 to 100 times fewer programmers in the next five years. This isn’t a temporary slump; it’s a fundamental transformation of the industry.
Companies like Meta, Microsoft, and HP have already announced significant layoffs in 2025, cutting thousands of roles as they shift toward AI-driven operations, according to industry reports. The IT job market, once a guaranteed path to stability and high salaries, is undergoing a profound change.
For those hoping to break into tech, the message is clear: adapt or pivot. The era of assured job security in IT may be over, and the viral chart from Indeed serves as a sobering wake-up call.
The future of work in tech is increasingly being shaped by machines, leaving human developers to navigate an uncertain landscape. For now, the industry’s new reality is unavoidable—IT as we knew it might truly be done.
