AI agent demand surges as UK faces shortage of specialist talent – Malt

Demand for artificial intelligence (AI) specialists is accelerating as UK businesses move from AI experimentation to large-scale deployment, according to research from freelancer platform Malt.

The company’s 2026 Tech Trends report found demand for AI agent expertise increased by 5,800% over the past year, while demand for MLOps specialists rose 178% across Europe.

Malt said AI is now the second most in-demand skill across its platform, regardless of company size, industry or project type, as organisations seek specialist expertise to implement AI technologies.

The findings come as the Government invests £1.1bn in AI infrastructure, including £400m for AI chip procurement.

Across Malt’s network of one million freelancers, the number of AI engineers increased by 229% over the past 12 months. Searches for AI agents increased 26-fold, while demand for agentic frameworks rose 62%.

Luke Hicks, UK country lead and vice president of enterprise at Malt, said: “History, data, and observation show us that the AI job apocalypse is not yet here, but the fear is real and needs to be understood.

“AI transformation, like all transformations, will be a cultural change first, and it’s companies, not professionals, who are most at risk if they fail to adapt.

“CEOs need to be imaginative, change org charts and processes, admit they are not omniscient, take risks, and invest in training.”