New Pearson research: The new AI talent strategy is redesigning roles

Along with the importance of global reskilling, new Pearson Research shows age of AI calls for employers to focus on creative strategies to close talent gaps in their workforce

LONDON, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world's lifelong learning company, shows that, as roles in the technology industry are being reshaped by automation and AI, employers should consider a strategy of 'role redesign' to solve talent needs and maintain competitiveness.

For this latest Skills Outlook, Solving the Tech Talent Gap from Within, Pearson looked at how the tech workforce might evolve and be reshaped by emerging technology over the next five years. The study focused on five of the most common and high-value tech roles in the UK. The research found that these highly valued workers will save around a day a week by 2029 - just through augmenting and automating key tasks with technology.

The research notes business leaders need to think creatively and proactively about redesigning roles to more effectively use technology and to help their employees use this saved time for upskilling. This strategy helps employers better utilise current workers rather than replacing them with newly skilled ones – essentially solving talent needs from within their own workforce and providing job agility and security for these valued employees.

By examining how automation and new technologies are likely to impact tech roles, Pearson was able to identify that LLM chatbots (such as CoPilot or ChatGPT) and RPA for Internal Processes (software robotics) hold the greatest potential to save time. 

Oliver Latham, Regional Sales Lead for EMEA in Pearson's Enterprise Learning and Skills Business Unit, said: "In a world where Generative AI is rapidly transforming the world of work, tech leaders need to rethink and evolve skilling pathways, or risk being left with an underutilized, undervalued, and unprepared workforce. By adopting a role redesign approach now, businesses can bridge talent gaps, achieve stronger growth and create the capacity they need without relying solely on external hiring." 

Looking at the impact on hours spent on tasks within the roles in a working week, Pearson found that between 5.2 hours and 7.8 hours could be saved in 5 years' time through effective use of technology – about a day. This creates an opportunity to rethink how roles are structured and redefine what "core" tasks will remain with human employees.

Pearson's tech impact modelling revealed the following results for the five jobs analysed in the UK:

Systems Software Developers

• Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 5.2 hours
• Biggest potential impact: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for Internal Processes (software robotics)
• Most automatable tasks: Correct errors in existing software; perform software system maintenance
• Role evolution: Role should evolve to emphasise more creative, strategic elements of development, such as architectural design, security enhancements, and collaboration with cross-functional teams on high-level project goals.

Computer programmers

• Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 6.7 hours
• Biggest potential impact: Large Language Model (LLM) chatbots
• Most automatable tasks: Rewrite programmes; write, update and maintain computer programmes and software packages; compile programme development documentation
• Role evolution: May be redefined to focus more on complex algorithm development, AI oversight, or system architecture, while automating routine coding work.

Computer system engineers / architects

• Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 5.2 hours
• Biggest potential impact: LLM chatbots
• Most automatable tasks: Providing technical guidance for the development of systems and system troubleshooting; advice on design concepts
• Role evolution: A shift in the role from hands-on troubleshooting to more strategic responsibilities, such as overseeing system integration, long-term infrastructure planning, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. The role could also evolve to focus on human-AI collaboration.

Computer system analysts 

• Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 6.8 hours
• Biggest potential impact: LLM chatbots
• Most automatable tasks: Providing assistance to customers or users in solving computer or programme related malfunctions
• Role evolution: May evolve to emphasise the strategic application of data insights, aligning technology solutions with broader business needs, and facilitating the implementation of more complex, large-scale system changes.

Computer network architects

• Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 7.8 hours
• Biggest potential impact: RPA for Internal Processes
• Most automatable tasks: Maintain project reporting systems; performing file addition/backup/deletion activities on networks
• Role evolution - likely move toward higher-level responsibilities, including network design innovation, cyber resilience planning, and future-proofing infrastructure to accommodate the rapid evolution of cloud technologies, AI, and IoT.

Employers have a real opportunity to reallocate saved time to more strategic, innovative and high-value work. The research identifies what those tasks are for each of these key roles and how best to redirect and repurpose this added capacity to maintain their competitive edge.

Media contacts
Hannah Hawkins, hannah.hawkins@pearson.com

Methodology 

• Five high-value tech roles were selected by finding the most common roles in the ICT job family which earn an above-average wage for ICT jobs.
• Our tech impact modelling was applied to these roles at a task level, modelling the future impact of 34 emerging technology types on each of 76,600 granular tasks. The tech impact shown is for a 5-year outlook from 2024, using projected adoption rates in the UK's ICT industry.

About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realise the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That's why our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world's lifelong learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. Visit us at pearsonplc.com.