Australia's tech workforce nears 1 million amid AI

Australia's tech workforce reached about 977,000 people by November 2025, according to the Tech Council of Australia. More than half worked in technical roles outside technology companies.

The figures suggest technical work is spread well beyond the sector itself. Of the total, 424,000 people were in direct tech roles, while 553,000 held technical positions embedded in other industries across the economy.

Software engineering remained the largest technical occupational category in the report. Those roles grew 7% year on year, adding to evidence that demand for coding and related technical work continued even as employers adopted new artificial intelligence tools.

The findings also pointed to stronger growth outside the major cities. Technical jobs in regional Australia rose 12% over five years, more than twice the growth rate for regional jobs overall.

Workforce spread

The report adds occupational detail to recent federal labour market analysis on artificial intelligence and employment. That broader work by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations found no evidence so far of widespread job disruption from AI, while noting that the effects should continue to be monitored.

The Tech Council's analysis found no discernible evidence of a differential decline in early-career technical employment after generative AI became widely available in late 2022. The finding speaks to growing concern that entry-level technical roles could come under pressure as AI systems take on more routine work.

Dr Ilana Feain, Head of Research at the Tech Council of Australia, outlined the main findings.

"Nearly 1 million Australians were part of the tech workforce by November 2025. More than half held technical roles outside direct tech firms, reflecting demand for these skills across the economy.

"The regional figures are especially encouraging. Technical jobs in regional Australia grew more than twice as fast as regional jobs overall, and these careers matter well beyond the capital cities.

"Many Australians are asking what AI will mean for jobs. The data does not show a differential decline in early-career technical employment since generative AI became widely available. As adoption grows, we need to keep monitoring the evidence, build AI skills across the workforce and make sure younger Australians can gain the experience they need for long-term careers. That should give people considering a technical career confidence that these skills remain in demand," Feain said.

AI and jobs

The timing of the report places it in the middle of a wider policy debate over how Australia should respond to AI adoption. Industry groups and policymakers have been weighing whether AI will mainly reshape tasks within existing jobs or materially reduce hiring in certain categories, particularly for younger workers entering the labour market.

The council's figures suggest that, at least in technical occupations, the feared drop in early-career opportunities has not yet appeared in the available data. Education providers, employers and government departments focused on skills policy are likely to watch that closely.

The near-1 million total also reflects how technical expertise is increasingly required in sectors not traditionally described as technology businesses. Banks, retailers, healthcare providers, logistics groups, manufacturers and public sector employers have all expanded their use of software, data and digital systems over the past decade, increasing demand for workers with technical training.

That broad distribution of jobs helps explain why embedded technical roles now outnumber direct tech roles. It also suggests changes in technology hiring can no longer be understood only by tracking software companies or large digital platforms.

Policy focus

The report comes as the federal government develops its national AI framework. Evidence on workforce trends is likely to shape decisions on education, training, migration, adoption incentives and safeguards around the use of AI in workplaces.

Dr Kate Cornick said the results should be read in the context of a broader economic shift.

"Five years after the Tech Council set its workforce target, nearly 1 million Australians are working in tech and technical roles. Technical skills are now a necessity across almost every industry.

"Developing and adopting AI in Australia can support new industries, lift productivity and create jobs across the economy.

"The Tech Jobs Report 2026 should give Australians confidence in the resilience of the labour market and Australia's ability to realise the benefits of AI. It provides a strong basis for policy that supports investment and adoption, builds public trust, and keeps a focus on skills, education and access to the experience people need for long-term careers," Cornick said.

The Tech Council represents more than 170 companies across Australia's technology sector, from start-ups to global firms, and has argued for policies that support technology investment, skills and adoption. Its latest workforce analysis places technical employment close to the 1 million mark, with software engineering still the largest occupation and regional growth outpacing the wider regional labour market.