Companies are willing to pay more for IT pros with specialized AI skills

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Similar to that must-see TV show that airs at 8 pm, it’s a prime time to be an IT employee with specialized expertise.

That’s because companies are forking out more money for those who have mastered AI and other cutting-edge skills. According to Robert Half’s 2027 Salary Guide, 65% of tech leaders say they are offering higher-than-expected salaries, partly in a bid to secure those candidates.

Kareem Osman, Robert Half VP and market director of technology talent solutions, told IT Brew the tech-hiring market is finally seeing “modest gains,” with AI helping drive salary increases. Most (92%) tech leaders are offering higher pay for relevant AI skills.

“It’s a good time. I think we’re pivoting. We see salary numbers are going up modestly, which is great,” Osman said. “We’re hoping for 2027 to kind of be the year for things to be back to normal.”

Salary increases aren’t the only thing to look forward to. Osman said AI is also leading to an influx of new positions within the tech industry.

“We’re seeing a lot of momentum with just the AI governance piece,” Osman said. “We’re seeing cybersecurity-related roles relevant to AI, and so it’s a pretty exciting time.”

We caught up with Osman to discuss the changing hiring landscape within the IT industry and how job candidates can best position themselves.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Is it an employee’s market or an employer’s market right now?

It’s a mix of both. I think the specialized talent [is] driving that market, and that’s why we tell all of our employers to make sure you have not only a competitive salary compensation package, but also flexibility and perks associated with the role. But anything that’s unspecialized, obviously, that’s where it gets a little bit tricky for candidates to try to find employment. We recommend obviously to be exposed to LinkedIn and all the various job boards out there to make sure they’re applying and they’re seeing all the positions that are open.

What type of specialized skills are attracting higher pay in the IT industry specifically?

As of the last 30 to 60 days, we’ve seen an uptick with AI governance work right now. A lot of these firms have started to incorporate these tools, but they want to make sure there’s a good sense of regulatory oversight into the data that’s being shared outside of their walls. And so, we’re seeing newly created positions in that sector. [Model context protocol] has been a huge driver in AI. That’s a security protocol that a lot of the firms out there are trying to implement and make sure that it’s done correctly. We see that. We see a lot of cybersecurity, again. And then obviously, there’s the cloud and infrastructure side of the business that we’re seeing growing right now.

What makes or breaks an IT candidate during the recruitment process these days?

If we’re basing it on skill set and what’s going to set you apart, individuals that are proactive with their interview process and making sure that they’re following all the steps. They’re doing a thank you email, making sure that they highlight their skill set, recapping their conversation. Those are some of the things that managers are looking for. Like, “Oh my God, this person actually wants to kind of pursue next steps, or is invested and is taking this pretty seriously.” We’ve noticed that it’s a little bit of an advantage if you’re comparing apples to apples.

Are we seeing any emerging tech hubs?

We’ve seen a lot of tech leave [New York City] and go to other states like the Carolinas and Texas. I read an article—and for me, I’m seeing it on the ground level—that AI positions are coming into New York City; they’re considering it to be the hub for AI now. And so, we’re starting to see a lot of startups overseas invest and try to open up offices here in New York City to bring and attract the talent back into New York, essentially…Now the top talent is in New York for AI.