Snowflake Survey: AI Reshapes Jobs, Creates Demand for Skilled Workers

A new survey from Snowflake shows a complicated picture for jobs in technology and beyond. While AI is causing some job cuts, it’s also creating new opportunities, especially in higher-skill roles.

The survey included 2,050 executives worldwide and looked at how AI and automation are affecting employment in IT, manufacturing, marketing, and customer service.

Key Findings in IT Jobs

• IT Operations: 40% of companies reported cuts due to automation, but 56% are hiring in the same roles.
• Software Development: 26% reported layoffs, while 38% are increasing hiring.
• Cybersecurity: 25% saw reductions, but 46% hired more.
• Data Analytics: 37% cut jobs, but an equal 37% hired.

“What we’re seeing is a reorganization of work, not a simple expansion or contraction,” said Baris Gultekin, Snowflake’s VP of AI.
AI is automating repetitive tasks but also creating new responsibilities in AI integration, governance, data engineering, security, and performance monitoring.

Beyond IT

Jobs outside IT have smaller changes, but customer service is a major exception:

• Customer service staff declined 37%, while only 15% of organizations increased hiring.
• Manufacturing and supply chain: 6% cut jobs and 13% increased hiring.
• Marketing: 16% cut, 12% hired.

The survey highlights that AI isn’t just eliminating roles—it’s reshaping them.

AI Drives Job Evolution

• 42% of companies reported jobs were created by AI.
• 11% reported jobs were lost.
• 35% reported both job creation and loss.
• 13% said AI had no impact on employment.

Overall, 77% of companies reported some level of job creation, showing that AI is changing the nature of work, rather than simply taking jobs away.

Why Jobs Are Changing

As AI moves from experiments to real-world applications, skill requirements shift:

• Operating AI at scale requires strong data foundations, governance, infrastructure knowledge, and the ability to monitor model performance.

• 35% of companies cited skill gaps as a barrier to AI success.

• Roles are evolving to include responsibilities like data quality checks, risk management, and ensuring AI systems behave responsibly.

“AI does not remove the need for people,” Gultekin said. “It changes what people need to know.”

Increased Demand for Higher-Skill Roles

• Task-based jobs are being automated, but demand is growing in AI operations, cybersecurity, data engineering, and governance.

• Companies further along in AI adoption are more likely to see a net positive impact on employment, showing that experience with AI correlates with job growth.

• Talent is being reallocated toward strategic, technical, and AI-enabled roles rather than disappearing.

Challenges and Concerns

Executives identified several challenges with AI deployment:

• Interoperability issues: 42%

• Legacy system incompatibility: 39%

• Real-time data processing for AI agents: 42%

• Job displacement worries: 29%

• Human oversight and rogue AI actions: 29%

• Data storage and usage concerns: 29%

🚀 AI Isn’t Killing Jobs—It’s Shaping Them!

💻 IT Roles:

• IT Operations: 40% cuts ➡️ 56% hiring

• Software Dev: 26% cuts ➡️ 38% hiring

• Cybersecurity: 25% cuts ➡️ 46% hiring

• Data Analytics: 37% cuts ➡️ 37% hiring

🤖 AI is automating repetitive tasks but creating new, high-skill opportunities in AI ops, data engineering, and governance.

📊 Beyond IT:

• Customer Service: 37% cuts

• Manufacturing: 6% cuts, 13% hiring

• Marketing: 16% cuts, 12% hiring

💡 Key Takeaways:

• 77% of companies report some job creation from AI

• AI is reshaping work, not eliminating it

• Skill gaps are the real challenge—knowledge is power!

✅ Bottom line: AI is shifting jobs toward strategic, technical, and AI-enabled roles. Time to upskill and adapt!

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