Malt has released its Tech Trends 2026 report, based on an analysis of 2.5 million searches on its platform, revealing significant shifts in technology skills among freelancers. The report highlights a decline in JavaScript’s popularity, while AI agents and automation are becoming increasingly dominant.
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### Freelance in Tech: AI Skills Overtaking JavaScript
In 2024, approximately 40% of new tech freelancers highlighted JavaScript as a key skill upon joining Malt. By 2025, this figure had dropped to below 20%. Concurrently, the number of new sign-ups listing AI as a skill more than tripled. Artificial intelligence has risen to become the second most sought-after skill on the platform, across all sectors. AI is even listed as a mandatory skill in 22% of non-tech project briefs.
Traditional programming languages have not vanished, however. Python and TypeScript have seen increases of 19% and 20% respectively, driven by their relevance to AI projects. Malt describes this shift as a transition from a ‘builder mindset’ to an ‘orchestrator mindset’: the value now lies not just in coding, but in managing complex intelligent systems.
### AI Agents and n8n: Key Market Indicators
In 2024, companies primarily deployed RAG architectures to link their data with language models. By 2025, they had moved a step further with AI agents—systems capable of reasoning, using tools, and performing tasks autonomously. Demand for these agents increased sixtyfold in one year. RAG continued to grow (+129%) and became a fundamental component of most agent-based architectures. The community of freelance AI Engineers expanded by 229% to meet these new demands.
Similarly, the rise of low-code automation has shown dynamic growth. Malt identifies AI and low-code skills as the fastest-growing categories on its platform. n8n, a low-code tool, exemplifies this trend with a fourteenfold increase in projects on Malt within a year, reaching a volume comparable to Java. This trend had already begun in 2025, with 71% of its users being senior developers who see it as a way to accelerate development without the limitations of traditional frameworks.
### Cloud and FinOps: Freelancers Adapt to AI Workloads
Malt’s report notes a reorganization of cloud architectures around AI workloads. Demand for generative AI on the cloud has increased by 96%, and projects specific to Large Language Models (LLMs) have surged by 154%. With GPU instances costing 10 to 20 times more than standard infrastructure, cost control has become crucial: FinOps projects saw a 72% increase on Malt, with the emergence of dedicated roles such as FinOps Architects and Lead FinOps.
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Despite the buzzword ‘sovereignty’ rising by 83% in project briefs, only 1.7% of projects are truly multi-cloud.
### Data Engineering: dbt Takes the Lead, Kafka Exacerbates Shortage
Data platforms have evolved into real-time operational infrastructures. Kafka, a key player in this area, has seen a demand increase of 328%, driven by the need for ML production pipelines and event processing. The demand is growing 21 times faster than the supply of specialized freelancers, leading Malt to anticipate project delays due to this shortage in 2026.
dbt (data build tool) has quietly become the go-to tool for data transformation, featured in 33% of warehouse projects (+42%). It has helped establish Analytics Engineering as a distinct discipline, with demand increasing by 103%. In the BI sector, Power BI continues to solidify its dominance with 36.68% of the demand, while Tableau has declined by 46%.
### Cybersecurity Faces Talent Shortage
Over half of the cybersecurity projects on Malt involve governance, regulation, and compliance (GRC). The demand for expertise in AI regulation jumped by 380%, spurred by the gradual implementation of the AI Act. A typical GRC project now requires simultaneous expertise in GDPR, NIS 2, ISO 27001, and compliance with the AI Act—areas that were once considered separate specialties. The demand for GRC is increasing much faster than the supply of specialized freelancers.
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Jordan Park writes in-depth reviews and editorial opinion pieces for Touch Reviews. With a background in UI/UX design, Jordan offers a unique perspective on device usability and user experience across smartphones, tablets, and mobile software.