O'Reilly's latest technology trends report has shed light on a significant shift in the tech landscape, with demand for AI-related skills skyrocketing in 2024. The report, which analyzed content consumption on O'Reilly's online learning platform by 2.8 million users, found that interest in AI topics has increased dramatically, while interest in programming languages Python and Java has taken a nosedive.

The report highlights a remarkable surge in consumption of content related to prompt engineering (up 456%), AI principles (up 386%), and generative AI (up 289%). Additionally, interest in GitHub Copilot, an AI-powered programming assistant, saw a staggering 471% increase, indicating developers' enthusiasm for tools that enhance productivity.

O'Reilly's vice president of content strategy emphasized that the rise of AI is not a threat to software developers' jobs, but rather an extension of the industry's tradition of building tools to aid development. The report predicts that the next wave of AI development will focus on building agents – software capable of planning and executing complex tasks.

Beyond AI, the report also found increased interest in security topics, including governance, risk, and compliance (up 44%), application security (up 17%), zero trust (up 13%), and compliance skills (up 10%). This growing focus on security underscores the importance of safeguarding AI applications and ensuring their responsible development.

Other notable trends in the report include a decline in consumption of content related to GPT models (down 13%), signaling a shift towards foundational AI knowledge over platform-specific skills. Data engineering content saw a 29% increase, highlighting the critical role of data in driving AI applications. Furthermore, CISSP and CompTIA Security+ content experienced growth of 11% and 13%, respectively, indicating a growing demand for security professionals.

In contrast, demand for Python content declined by 5.3%, and demand for Java content dropped by 13%. However, Rust content saw a 9.6% increase, suggesting a growing interest in alternative programming languages. The report also noted that the cloud has reached saturation, at least in terms of users studying it as a skill.

The O'Reilly Technology Trends for 2025 report is based on users' consumption of content on O'Reilly's online learning platform from January 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024. The findings provide valuable insights into the evolving tech landscape and the skills that will be in high demand in the coming years.

As the tech industry continues to navigate the complexities of AI development, the O'Reilly report serves as a timely reminder of the need for professionals to upskill and reskill in response to emerging trends. With AI poised to play an increasingly prominent role in shaping the future of technology, it's clear that the demand for AI-related skills will only continue to grow.