Bangalore, 08th May 2025: 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 India. The research found that these highly valued workers will save nearly half 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 utilize 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.
Vinay Kumar Swamy, Country Head- Pearson India, said “In India’s rapidly evolving digital economy, businesses cannot afford to treat workforce development as an afterthought. Our study shows that by strategically redesigning roles and not replacing them, employers can unlock significant value within their existing teams. With up to 17 hours of monthly time savings per tech professional by 2029, the opportunity is not just to bridge talent gaps, but to transform the very nature of work. Pearson sees role redesigning as a forward-thinking solution that aligns people, productivity, and innovation critically to sustain India’s global tech leadership.”
Looking at the impact on hours spent on tasks within the roles in a working week, Pearson found that between 2.5 hours and 3.9 hours a week could be saved in 5 years’ time. 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 India:
Systems Software Developers
- Potential time saved by 2029, with effective use of technology: 2.7 hours per week
- Biggest potential impact: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for Internal Processes (software robotics)
- Most automatable tasks:
Correcting errors in existing software
Performing software system maintenance
- Role evolution: Role should evolve to emphasize 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: 3.1 hours
- Biggest potential impact: Large Language Model (LLM) chatbots
- Most automatable tasks:
Rewriting programmes
Updating and maintaining computer programmes and software packages
Writing computer programmes and software packages
- Role evolution: This role may be redefined to focus more on complex algorithm development, AI oversight or system architecture, while automating routine coding work.
Computer System Architects/Engineers
- Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 2.5 hours
- Biggest potential impact: Large Language Model (LLM) chatbots
- Most automatable tasks:
Providing technical guidance for the development of systems
Providing technical guidance for troubleshooting in systems
Advising on design concepts
- Role evolution: The role could also evolve to focus on the human-AI collaboration aspect, where engineers work alongside AI to provide final validation and ensure that AI-driven designs align with goals.
Computer system analysts
- Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 3.3 hours
- Biggest potential impact: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for Internal Processes (software robotics)
- Most automatable tasks:
Maintaining and monitoring computer programmes and systems
- Role evolution: Their roles 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: 3.9 hours
- Biggest potential impact: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for Internal Processes (software robotics)
- Most automatable tasks:
Maintaining project reporting systems
Performing file addition/backup/deletion activities on networks
- Role evolution – The focus will shift from network maintenance to innovation, resilience, and scalability, as routine administrative tasks are taken over by automation.
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.
