Programming Salaries: Market Shift & New Roles

The advance of the artificial intelligence began to change the type of profiles that demand the companies technological. In this context, the founder of Free marketMarcos Galperin, warned that the traditional role of the programmer could lose weight in the coming years.

During a conversation with Bain & Company, the businessman explained that Mercado Libre is undergoing a change in its hiring strategy. “We have twenty thousand programmers. This is the first year in history in which we will not grow in the number of programmers. And it is highly probable that in five years we may have ten thousand programmers, not because we have fired them, but because we are not hiring anyone,” he stated.

As he explained, The advancement of artificial intelligence tools is changing the skills that will be necessary in the technological labor market. “Ten years ago I would have told anyone that they had to learn to program. Today I say that they have to know mathematics, understand logic and numbers,” he said.

Galperin’s statements reflect a broader debate about how artificial intelligence is beginning to modify the structure of employment in technology companies and other sectors of the economy.

For Alejandro Servide, director of Professional, Digital & Enterprise at Randstad for Argentina and Chile, the labor market is going through a realignment process in which technological changes coexist with broader economic transformations: “The professional market in Argentina is close to full employment, but we are seeing a redefinition of winners and losers depending on the industry, the business model and the economic context,” he explained.

In that scenario, sectors linked to the real economy and natural resources They began to expand their demand for talent. Industries such as oil & gas, mining, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and logistics appear among those that show the greatest dynamism, while other activities, such as the textile sector, face greater challenges.

The phenomenon also has a territorial impact. Provinces like Neuquén today register some of the highest levels of labor demand driven by the development of Vaca Muerta, which not only generates employment in oil and gas, but also in the entire network of services, industrial suppliers and logistics that orbit around that activity.

Mercado Libre invests billions but changes the profile of its contracts

This week, Mercado Libre announced a investment of US$3.4 billion in Argentina during 2026which will include the creation of 1,900 new jobs in different areas. According to the company, the disbursement will be aimed at expanding its network of logistics centers, adding technology to the marketplace and deepening the development of its financial ecosystem through Mercado Pago.

In this context, the demand for talent will be concentrated mainly in areas related to logistics, e-commerce, technology and financial servicesin line with the change in profiles that is beginning to be observed in the labor market.

In this context, the advance of artificial intelligence begins to redefine the type of skills required within technology companies. According to Servide, “what a junior programmer used to do, today can often be solved by artificial intelligence. That is why even profiles that are just entering the market need to arrive with more tools and experience,” he noted.

This does not mean, however, that the demand for technological talent disappears. On the contrary, companies are beginning to prioritize more specialized profiles, such as data scientistsdata analysts, cybersecurity specialists and business platform experts.

In parallel, different surveys show that the mismatch between the skills that companies are looking for and those available in the labor market continues to be one of the main problems in professional employment.

According to ManpowerGroup, 64% of Argentine employers have difficulties filling positions due to lack of talent with the necessary skills. The company’s global survey, conducted with more than 39,000 employers in 41 countries, indicated that the industries with the greatest difficulty in hiring are automotive, information, technology and IT services, and hospitality.

The study also warns that the most difficult to find technical skills are increasingly linked to the digital economy, including development and application of artificial intelligence modelsAI literacy and profiles aimed at customer service and front office.

For Luis Guastini, general director and president of the firm in the country, the challenge is not only in technical skills, but also in human skills. “Adaptability, communication, collaboration and critical thinking are increasingly valued by companies,” he noted.

What are the positions that are gaining prominence in the new labor market?

In this context of technological transformation and changes in the production structure, companies began to redefine what profiles they are looking for in the coming years.

As Servide explained, the labor market shows a growing demand for analytical profilestechnicians and linked to the digital economy, but also professionals associated with productive sectors and specialized services.

Among the most in-demand profiles are data scientists, data analysts, cybersecurity specialists and experts in business platforms such as SAP, as well as professionals linked to risk analysis, digital fraud and financial planning.

The need for talent is also growing in areas linked to electronic commerce and logistics, such as specialists in supply chain, demand planningtransportation and routing analysts, account executives for payment platforms and customer experience experts.

In parallel, expanding productive sectors such as energy, mining or the pharmaceutical industry drive the demand for engineering in different specialties, from industrial engineering to food engineering, quality or safety and hygiene.

The phenomenon also reaches the health sector, where the need for specialized professionals such as surgical instrumentatorsnurses and doctors with training in highly complex areas.

“We are seeing a labor ecosystem with a lot of movement. Artificial intelligence is redefining tasks, but at the same time new positions are being created that require more analytical, strategic and specialized profiles“, Servide concluded.