Hoang Nam Tien, the vice-chair of FPT University’s board, recently discussed the impact of AI on the IT job market. During the Talent X conference on human resources held by the Vietnam Software Association, Tien highlighted how AI both replaces and creates IT jobs. He explained that while coding and testing remain essential steps in the software development process, around 40% of engineers employed in these areas could potentially lose their jobs to AI. This is because AI is capable of generating approximately 50% of code lines without human intervention, particularly in commonly used programming languages like Java. Tien emphasized that programmers must expand their skillsets significantly to compete with AI, as AI and robots are significantly boosting productivity in various stages of software development.
However, Tien also noted that AI, especially generative AI, can create numerous new job opportunities for the younger generation, particularly those belonging to Gen Z. He emphasized that IT encompasses more than just coding, including technologies like AI and blockchain, which offer lucrative career prospects. On the other hand, Phan Ho Ha Phuong, head of AI solutions at FPT Smart Cloud, mentioned that AI can easily replace repetitive and relatively simple processes in the IT field, predicting that the automation rate for IT jobs could reach 30-40% by 2030. This trend is not unique to Vietnam, as global tech giants like Amazon, Google, Facebook, and others have already witnessed significant job losses.
Nguyen Tuan Huy, a member of Vinasa’s standing committee, shared statistics from early 2023 indicating that the global technology market has experienced a loss of at least 94,000 jobs. Tech giants such as Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon have downsized their workforce considerably. In response to this trend, more people are studying AI-related skills to improve and adapt to the changing job market. However, the increased competition in the field has made it challenging for Vietnam’s AI job market to provide sufficient career opportunities, limiting good positions to highly skilled AI engineers.
For IT engineers interested in launching AI startups, Lam Quang Nam, an IT expert at Vinasa, advised caution due to the substantial funding requirements of AI projects, which may be difficult to secure in the current economic climate. Instead, Nam suggested that engineers focus on understanding existing AI models to enhance their career prospects. Providing efficient engineering results to employers can be an alternative to starting a company. Nam also emphasized the importance of engineers fully comprehending the tasks at hand, as simply knowing how to code may not be sufficient when it comes to expanding and upgrading products to meet clients’ systems.
Experts speculate that the current gloom in the IT job market may persist for another two to three years until 2025, when the global economy is expected to recover.
