While tech and IT companies believe Artificial Intelligence will change the nature of certain jobs, that some jobs are exposed and that new ones will emerge, none who spoke to this newsroom said that they have effected any redundancies because of it.
AI has taken the business world by storm, and fears about the impact it will have on jobs, particularly in the technology and IT fields, have led to concerns that there would be a reduction in jobs in the sector.
This newsroom reached out to companies about AI’s impact on recruitment practices, and the impact it is having on employment. Responses varied from one company that wished to remain anonymous saying it needs to hire fewer developers, to others saying new jobs will be created, or that certain jobs will change. None said they had any redundancies because of AI
Asked whether AI has resulted in fewer employees, replaced any jobs, or created new ones, a Matthew Sammut, Co-Founder of 9H Digital, a tech and creative company that delivers full-service end-to-end business solutions, said: “We haven't made anyone redundant because of AI, but there are tasks that used to require a dedicated resource that now don't.”
“Certain content production workflows, basic data aggregation, first-draft document generation – these are things our team handles as part of a broader role rather than as a full-time function.”
He said that AI has not replaced jobs in a direct sense at 9H, “but through ICE Campus I see it clearly in the organisations we train. Administrative and coordination roles that relied heavily on information processing are the most exposed.” Mr Sammut is a Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director of ICE Campus (an institute of computer education).
In terms of new jobs being created, he said that 9H effectively created an AI practice – client-facing AI consulting, AI sprint engagements, workflow redesign work. “None of that existed three years ago. And through ICE Campus, AI literacy training has become a growth business in its own right. The demand from corporates — in Malta and across the Gulf – for structured AI upskilling is substantial and still accelerating. Those are new economic activities, not just rebranded old ones.”
Karen Satariano Banavage, Internal Talent Acquisition Executive at Cleverbit Software (a software company) said that AI has not resulted in fewer employees or directly replaced any roles at Cleverbit Software. “Instead, it has changed the way people work by helping automate repetitive or time-consuming tasks, allowing our teams to focus on higher-value work.”
She said that the company is seeing an increasing demand for AI-related skills across a number of technical roles. As AI continues to evolve, professionals who understand how to work with these technologies and integrate them responsibly into products and workflows will become increasingly valuable, she explained.
“Rather than replacing jobs, we believe AI is reshaping them. It is encouraging continuous learning and creating opportunities for people to develop new skills and adapt to emerging technologies. This is particularly true within the software development industry, where innovation has always been a constant. Our focus is therefore on enabling our people to embrace AI as a tool that enhances their work.”
Airo Software Ltd (a software consultancy firm), also told this newsroom that AI has not resulted in redundancies or directly replaced any jobs within their company. “Its effect has primarily been to make existing employees more efficient and allow them to complete certain tasks more quickly.”
It said that at this stage, AI has also not led the company to create a dedicated new job category, and instead the ability to use AI tools effectively is gradually becoming part of existing roles, particularly in software development, IT support, administration, and content-related work.
“In the longer term, we expect AI to change the nature of some roles rather than simply eliminate them. Routine tasks may become increasingly automated, while greater importance is placed on problem solving, quality control, security, critical thinking, and the ability to review and validate AI generated work,” Airo Software said.
Karl Demicoli, Chief HR Officer at BMIT (a company that provides hybrid IT, cybersecurity and managed solutions), also said that AI has not replaced any roles within the company. “Over time, it will help us work more efficiently, streamline repetitive tasks, and allow our people to focus on higher‑value activities. At the same time, it will drive demand for new skills and capabilities across the organisation."
A company that wished to remain anonymous said that it is beginning to see early signs of change rather than wholesale replacement of roles, noting that some functions involving repetitive or production-based work, particularly within design and content creation, are becoming more efficient through the use of AI tools.
“At this stage, AI has not directly replaced roles within our organisation, but it has started to change how certain jobs are performed and the skills expected from employees,” the company said. It also noted the emergence of new expectations across existing roles, where employees are expected to understand and effectively leverage AI as part of their day-to-day responsibilities. It believes that in the future, organisations will increasingly create specialist roles focused on AI implementation, governance, optimisation, and oversight.
It also said that entry-level and highly repetitive roles are likely to become less common in the future, as many routine tasks can be automated or completed much more efficiently with AI, but that at the same time, demand will increase for “highly capable professionals” who can design, oversee, validate, and improve AI-assisted work.
“Human judgement, creativity, business understanding, and critical thinking will become even more valuable.”
An article providing insight from companies about the impact AI has had on recruitment processes for companies in the field can be read on MaltaCeos.mt.
Main Image:Igor Omilaev/Unsplash
