We're approaching the halfway point of the year, and one thing is becoming increasingly clear.

The tech hiring market isn't behaving the way many people expected.

After a period of uncertainty and adjustment, hiring activity has settled into a new rhythm. Companies are still investing, teams are still growing and demand for specialist talent remains strong.

What's changed is where that demand is being focused.

Looking across the conversations we're having with candidates, hiring managers, founders and CTOs, there are four trends that stand out above everything else.

1. AI hiring has moved into the mainstream

Perhaps the least surprising trend of the year is the continued growth of AI hiring.

Demand for AI and machine learning talent continues to increase across Europe, with AI-related hiring growing significantly year-on-year as businesses move beyond experimentation and into implementation.

What's interesting is that AI is no longer being treated as a standalone initiative.

A year ago, many companies were asking:

"Should we be exploring AI?"

Today, the conversation is more likely to be:

"How do we scale it?"

That shift is creating demand across a wide range of functions, from AI Engineers and Machine Learning Engineers through to Product Managers, Data Engineers and Infrastructure specialists.

The market has moved from curiosity to execution.

2. AI skills are commanding a premium

As demand increases, so does the value attached to AI capability.

Candidates with proven experience building, deploying and working alongside AI systems are commanding significantly higher compensation than equivalent roles without that experience.

The reason is simple.

Most companies are trying to figure out how AI fits into their products, workflows and long-term strategy.

People who have already navigated that journey are incredibly valuable.

We're seeing this across engineering, product and data functions alike.

The ability to understand AI in a practical, commercial context is becoming one of the most sought-after skills in technology.

3. The most valuable Engineers are becoming more rounded

One of the biggest themes of 2026 has been the continued rise of what many people describe as "T-shaped" engineers.

Individuals with deep expertise in one area but the ability to operate across multiple parts of a system.

AI is playing a role in this.

Modern tooling is allowing engineers to move more comfortably between disciplines, increasing what a single individual can realistically deliver.

As a result, companies are increasingly prioritising:

• Product awareness

• Systems thinking

• Communication skills

• Commercial understanding

• Cross-functional collaboration

Technical expertise remains critical.

But increasingly, the engineers standing out are those who combine technical depth with broader capability.

4. Experience has become more important than ever

Perhaps the most interesting trend we're seeing is the growing emphasis on experience.

Hiring managers aren't simply looking for people who know the latest frameworks or tools.

They're looking for people who can navigate complexity.

Engineers who have:

• Scaled systems

• Managed trade-offs

• Worked through production challenges

• Built products in real-world environments

The ability to make sound decisions in uncertain situations has become incredibly valuable.

As AI accelerates development, the importance of judgement increases.

Technology can help teams move faster.

Experience helps them move in the right direction.

What these trends have in common

Although these trends might appear separate, they're all pointing toward the same conclusion.

Companies are becoming more focused on capability.

Not headcount.

Not activity.

Capability.

The ability to solve difficult problems, build meaningful products and create long-term value.

That's influencing:

• Hiring strategies

• Team structures

• Salary expectations

• Skills demand

And it's shaping what the next generation of technology teams will look like.

Looking ahead to H2

If the first half of 2026 has been about focus, the second half looks set to continue that trend.

AI adoption will accelerate.

Demand for experienced talent will remain strong.

And the gap between companies with strong technical capability and those still building it will likely become even more visible.

The market hasn't become simpler.

But it has become clearer.

And for hiring leaders, that's creating a much stronger understanding of what great teams need to look like moving forward.

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The biggest lesson from the first half of the year isn't that hiring has become easier or harder.

It's that hiring has become more intentional.

The companies moving fastest aren't necessarily hiring the most people.

They're building the right teams.

And that's a trend we expect to continue well into the second half of the year.