The digital transformation of businesses continues to reshape the labour market. Artificial intelligence, data, cloud, cybersecurity and software development are changing processes and operating models, while the skills required to use and integrate these technologies across organisations are evolving alongside them. In 2025, 10.45 million ICT specialists were employed across the European Union, accounting for 5% of total employment. In Italy, the figure stood at 3.8%, below the EU average.
At the same time, the adoption of new technologies continues to accelerate. According to ISTAT, in 2025 the use of artificial intelligence among Italian companies with at least 10 employees doubled in a single year, rising from 8.2% to 16.4%. Among companies that considered adopting AI but ultimately did not proceed, 58.6% cited a lack of adequate skills as one of the barriers. The availability of technology and the ability to use it effectively are therefore not necessarily progressing at the same pace. This gap is driving a significant part of the demand for new digital professionals.
Looking across labour demand, skills shortages and growth prospects, some of the most relevant roles in 2026 include AI and Machine Learning Engineers, Software Engineers and Developers, Data Engineers and Big Data Specialists, Data Scientists, Cybersecurity Specialists, Cloud Engineers and Cloud Architects, DevOps and Platform Engineers, Systems Analysts and IT Business Analysts. This is not an absolute ranking. Different surveys analyse the labour market from different perspectives, helping to identify both professions that are already in high demand and those that are growing more rapidly or proving particularly difficult to recruit.
International forecasts point in the same direction, with particularly strong growth expected across artificial intelligence, big data, software development and cybersecurity. However, the change is not limited to the emergence of new roles. Many established professions are also evolving alongside new technologies and changing business operating models.
Artificial intelligence is one of the areas where change is most visible. After an initial phase largely dominated by experimentation, companies are increasingly bringing AI into applications, products and business processes. AI Engineers and Machine Learning Engineers develop and integrate systems based on artificial intelligence models. Alongside programming and machine learning, knowledge of Large Language Models, natural language processing and computer vision is becoming increasingly important, together with the ability to understand where and how these technologies can be applied effectively.
The Italian labour market also confirms the growth of these professions. A 2026 survey of the fastest-growing roles ranks AI Engineer first, based on the evolution of professional positions over the previous three years and a sufficient number of job postings during the most recent year.
The growth of artificial intelligence does not reduce the importance of software development. Distributed applications, cloud services, integrations and system modernisation continue to drive demand for developers. According to the Excelsior Information System, developed by Unioncamere together with the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, 18,160 hires were planned for software analysts and designers in 2025, with 67% of these positions proving difficult to fill.
What is changing most is how these professionals work. AI coding tools are increasingly becoming part of day-to-day development activities and can support code generation, test creation, documentation and other stages of the development lifecycle. This is gradually shifting the developer's role from primarily writing code towards orchestrating tools, systems, AI and processes. Professional responsibility, however, remains central: code proposed by artificial intelligence must still be understood, reviewed, validated and correctly integrated into the overall application architecture.
As a result, alongside technical expertise, critical thinking, the ability to assess the quality of AI-generated outputs, knowledge of software architecture and collaboration with professionals across different areas of expertise are becoming even more valuable. In a context where AI can accelerate many activities, knowing when and how to use what it produces is becoming an integral part of the developer's role.
The growth of artificial intelligence and data analytics is increasing the value of professionals who can collect, organise and interpret information reliably. Data Engineers and Big Data Specialists focus primarily on the architectures and data flows that make information available, while Data Scientists concentrate on analysis, using statistics, programming and machine learning to generate insights that support decision-making.
This trend is also reflected in the evolution of Italian businesses. According to ISTAT, over a two-year period the proportion of companies with at least 10 employees carrying out data analysis increased from 26.6% to 42.7%. As data and artificial intelligence continue to converge, these skills are being applied across an increasingly broad range of business processes and projects.
The growth of digital services makes secure, reliable and adaptable infrastructure increasingly important. In this environment, Cybersecurity Specialists, Cloud Engineers, Cloud Architects, DevOps professionals and Platform Engineers play a central role. Their areas of expertise remain distinct, but they increasingly operate across interconnected domains, from protecting data and systems to managing cloud environments, automation and application continuity.
For businesses, this means being able to develop and manage digital services with greater security, flexibility and control.
Alongside more technical skills, there is growing value in professionals who can connect technology with business requirements. Systems Analysts and IT Business Analysts examine processes and requirements, helping translate organisational objectives into technology solutions. In these roles, digital expertise is complemented by analytical skills, problem solving and the ability to collaborate effectively with different professional profiles.
In 2026, specialisation remains important, but the market increasingly requires skills that complement one another. AI and Data Science depend on high-quality data, cloud is closely linked to security and automation, while software development increasingly incorporates AI-based tools. Alongside technical expertise, analytical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, adaptability and continuous learning remain essential. New specialisations are also emerging, particularly around artificial intelligence, including MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), AI governance and AI systems security. These areas are still evolving, but they point to a clear direction: adopting a technology also means developing the skills required to integrate, manage, govern and protect it.
In the digital sector, learning does not end when someone enters the workforce. Technologies, tools and roles evolve rapidly, making continuous skills development essential. Access to the right expertise is also a challenge for businesses: among Italian companies that considered adopting artificial intelligence but did not proceed, 58.6% cited a lack of skills as one of the barriers.
It is within this relationship between innovation and professional development that the experience of S2E | Solutions to Enterprises also fits. The company has more than 430 professionals, 375 of whom specialise in IT, and operates across many of the areas currently reshaping the digital market, from artificial intelligence and data to cybersecurity, cloud and automation.
The same approach can be seen in the S2E Academies, recruitment, selection and training programmes aimed at upper-secondary school graduates, recent university graduates and students nearing graduation in STEM fields. Over time, the programmes have covered areas including Business Analysis, software development, RPA, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering and Cloud Engineering, combining training, career guidance and practical support.
The Academies are designed and delivered in close collaboration with S2E's client companies, which actively contribute to defining the training content and act as sponsors of the programmes. At the end of the programme, these same companies welcome the trained participants into their teams, creating a direct link between skills development and concrete career opportunities. The value of these programmes lies not only in learning a technology, but in building skills that can continue to evolve over time. A software developer may move towards cloud or artificial intelligence, a systems professional may progress into DevOps, while a career path in Data can open new opportunities in analytics and machine learning.
In a market that is constantly changing, choosing an area of specialisation remains important. Equally important, however, is building a professional profile that can grow alongside technology, through training programmes that connect people, skills and businesses from the very beginning of their careers.
The most in-demand digital roles in 2026 reflect a market in which the boundaries between roles and skills are becoming less rigid. Specialisation remains important, but there is increasing value in professionals who can combine different capabilities and apply them to business objectives. Roles will continue to evolve and new professions will emerge alongside new technologies. Building a long-term career in the digital sector therefore requires more than choosing a specialisation: it also requires the ability to keep learning and turn evolving skills into lasting value.
Alongside established digital professions, artificial intelligence is reshaping existing roles and driving the emergence of new professional profiles. Among the new specialisations reshaping existing roles are AI Engineer, AI-Augmented Engineer, Business Designer, AI Product Scientist and AI Infrastructure Engineer. At the same time, new professional roles are emerging, including AI Solution Architect, AI Agent Engineer and AI Security Engineer. This evolution shows that AI is not simply creating new job titles. It is also redefining the skills and responsibilities of many professionals already working across the digital market.
Demand is growing particularly for skills in artificial intelligence, data, cybersecurity, cloud and automation, together with capabilities such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, change management and continuous learning.
AI, software development, data, cybersecurity and cloud are among the areas offering the most interesting prospects. Opportunities increase for professionals who can combine different skills and continue updating them over time.
Emerging areas include MLOps, AI governance and AI systems security. These specialisations are growing, but remain less established than more traditional digital roles.