RU

Occupation · 2026 assessment

PHP Developer

The occupation is not disappearing, but one AI-enabled developer can complete much more routine work. Simple UI, CRUD code, migrations, tests, documentation and standard integrations are most exposed.

Moderate risk level Search jobs ↗
How risk may change

A forecast estimate, not a guaranteed scenario.

49%2026
54%2028
58%2030
67%2035

Which tasks are exposed

Risk applies to individual tasks—not to a person or an entire occupation.

TaskRisk
Generating CRUD code and standard modules93%
Creating migrations, tests and documentation89%
Reviewing and validating generated code57%
Generating routine code and configuration90%
Preparing tests and technical documentation86%
Classifying errors and analyzing logs78%
Data migrations and routine integrations78%
Architecture and technical trade-offs52%

Task map

AI replaces ↔ AI augments

Each task is positioned by AI capability and the degree of human involvement still required.

  1. 1Generating CRUD code and standard modulesAI 93% · human 38%
  2. 2Creating migrations, tests and documentationAI 89% · human 36%
  3. 3Reviewing and validating generated codeAI 57% · human 54%
  4. 4Generating routine code and configurationAI 90% · human 41%
  5. 5Preparing tests and technical documentationAI 86% · human 50%
  6. 6Classifying errors and analyzing logsAI 78% · human 41%
  7. 7Data migrations and routine integrationsAI 78% · human 42%
  8. 8Architecture and technical trade-offsAI 52% · human 49%

Why technology can change this work

  • AI agents already create routine functions, tests, migrations and documentation
  • code, configuration and documentation are already digital
  • a large share of textual, analytical or information tasks is accessible to current AI models
  • the main inputs and outputs already exist in a digital environment
  • routine code, tests and technical text can be generated automatically
  • many outputs can be checked with tests and static analysis

What protects the occupation

  • architecture
  • business understanding
  • legacy systems
  • security
  • complex integrations
  • production accountability

United States · before tax

Average pay and outlook

Estimated nominal monthly pay. The scenario reflects sector, demand and task resilience; it is not a guarantee of income.

2026$10 100per month
2035$13 650scenario estimate
2026: $10 10020262027: $10 45020272028: $10 80020282029: $11 15020292030: $11 55020302031: $11 95020312032: $12 35020322033: $12 75020332034: $13 20020342035: $13 6502035
Find jobs ↗The partner link may contain referral parameters. Data benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ↗

Practical next step

Where to move next

Do not restart from zero: carry your experience forward and add scarce skills.

AI Application Engineer

Established resilient role
New role risk19%
DemandHighDifficultyLowTime3–6 monthsSkill fit89%

Solutions Architect

Established resilient role
New role risk22%
DemandHighDifficultyLowTime3–6 monthsSkill fit87%

Cybersecurity Engineer

Established resilient role
New role risk24%
DemandHighDifficultyMediumTime6–12 monthsSkill fit68%

Data Analyst

Established resilient role
New role risk51%
DemandHighDifficultyLowTime3–6 monthsSkill fit83%

Analytics Engineer

Established resilient role
New role risk27%
DemandHighDifficultyLowTime3–6 monthsSkill fit81%

AI Security Engineer

Emerging role
New role risk14%
DemandHighDifficultyMediumTime6–12 monthsSkill fit64%

Job search and transitions

Find work with a lower risk index

Compare adjacent paths and open a current search for the selected occupation.

Skills you already have

  • reading existing code
  • task decomposition
  • systems thinking
  • software-system understanding
  • debugging
  • requirements work

Skills to build

  • AI agents
  • architecture
  • DevOps
  • system design
  • security
  • AI-generated code governance
CurrentPHP Developer · 49%
→
Keepreading existing code · task decomposition · systems thinking
→
AddAI agents · architecture · DevOps

Sources and update

Updated: 2026-09-25 · Assessment confidence: High

International Labour Organization · 2025Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure

Nearly 30,000 tasks; a global assessment of GenAI exposure across detailed occupational groups.

World Economic Forum · 2025The Future of Jobs Report 2025

A survey of more than 1,000 employers representing over 14 million workers across 55 economies.

O*NET Resource Center · 2026O*NET Database

Occupational, task, skill and work-context structure.