In the middle of the AI hype, it’s easy to believe that IT professionals are a thing of the past and developers are no longer part of the future. However, the European Commission’s latest State of the Digital Decade 2025 report paints a much more nuanced picture – one that confirms what we observe in the job market every day: digital transformation still requires people. And more kinds of people than ever.
The report looks at the EU’s digital progress across four key areas:
- the quality of internet access and tech infrastructure,
- how digitally skilled the population is,
- how digitalized public services are,
- and how much companies are using modern technologies.
Who’s going to plug in the power cable?
Digital transformation sounds great – but it doesn’t happen on its own. According to the report, most Hungarian small and medium-sized businesses continue to struggle with adopting cloud-based systems, big data solutions, or data-driven operations. And without digital tools, it’s not just the business that suffers – it slows down the whole economy.
The proportion of ICT professionals still falls short of EU targets, and Hungary’s rate (4.5%) is slightly below the EU average (5%). Often, the reason companies aren’t going digital isn’t a lack of technology – it’s a lack of people who can implement, integrate, and run it.
The goals are ambitious: Hungary aims to have ICT professionals makeup 8.3% of the workforce by 2030. According to the Commission, based on recent trends, this is within reach. Translation? We’ll need a lot more programmers, system engineers, data scientists, AI specialists, cybersecurity experts, and the list goes on.
We need people – and already do – who not only possess technical skills but are also eager to learn, collaborate, and bring a business mindset to the table.
Tech roles change – but the demand stays.
The roles we see today are indeed very different from those five years ago. Things move fast, and the types of experts in demand are constantly shifting – but the need itself isn’t going anywhere. The developer of the future might not be writing code but briefing AI tools, customizing systems, or creating products as part of a multidisciplinary team. Technology doesn’t replace humans – it creates new roles and new skills.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, it’s worth stepping back and asking what’s actually needed right now. For most businesses, the first significant challenge remains adopting digital tools in the first place, or helping their teams acquire basic digital skills.
Only slightly more than half of the EU population (55.6%) possess basic digital knowledge. Hungary’s doing somewhat better: in 2023, this figure was 58.9%. So, the foundation is there.
The bigger question is: what are we doing with it? Hungary’s goal for AI adoption (24% by 2030) is well below the EU’s target of 75%. Currently, only 7.41% of Hungarian companies are utilizing AI. Although this represents a significant leap from last year (a 101.4% increase), it still lags behind the EU average of 13.48%.
The biggest struggle is in the SME sector, where it’s often not a lack of intent but a lack of skills and resources that hold businesses back. And while the pace of progress is promising, if we don’t close the gap, we might fall behind in the real competition, too.
In a nutshell
With all the hype around AI, it’s easy to forget that digital transformation doesn’t happen on its own. The technology is here, but it still takes people to make it work. The latest EU data shows that what’s missing isn’t willingness but expertise: there simply aren’t enough people to bring systems to life and implement new tools. Hungary has ambitious digital goals for the decade ahead, but company-level progress, especially in SMEs, is still catching up.
If we want to stay ahead, now is the time to invest in people – professionals who understand digital tools and how to utilize them to drive business results.
Work with us – and we’ll make sure the tech actually works
As one of Europe’s leading digital training centers, we work with individuals who are well-versed in the digital world. They’re confident using new tools, collaborate, think critically, and get things done.
Whether you’re hiring someone new or upskilling your current team, we’re here to help. See how we work – and let’s find the right solution together.