The roles likely to be eliminated or heavily automated include: software development, cybersecurity, DevOps, UI/UX design, data administration and management, testing and quality assurance, data scientists and analysts, testing and quality assurance, cloud engineers, technical writers, and IT support and systems administration -- including network administration. Ironically AI and machine learning engineering is also becoming more automated through tools like Google's AutoML, Foote said.

Database administration is also undergoing a seachange as AI-powered systems like autonomous databases (e.g., Oracle Autonomous Database) can self-patch, self-tune, and handle much of the database maintenance that used to require human intervention. Specializing in big data will become more critical for admins.

AI is transforming cybersecurity by automating threat detection, anomaly detection, and incident response. "AI-powered tools can quickly identify unusual behavior, analyze security pattern, scan for vulnerabilities, and even predict cyberattacks, making manual monitoring less necessary," Foote said. "Security professionals will focus more on developing AI models that can defend against complex threats, especially as cybercriminals begin using AI to attack systems. There will be a demand for experts in AI ethics in cybersecurity, ensuring that AI systems used in security aren't biased or misused."

IT support and systems administration positions -- especially tier-one and tier-two help desk jobs -- are expected to be hit particularly hard with job losses. Those jobs entail basic IT problem resolution and service desk delivery, as well as more in-depth technical support, such as software updates, which can be automated through AI today. The help desk jobs that remain would involve more hands-on skills that cannot be resolved by a phone call or electronic message. "At that point, IT is considering it a unique problem; they're getting involved in things like code corruption," Foote said, adding that skills in AI governance and regulation will become more critical as companies face increased scrutiny over the use of AI in security.