Lend Kelmendi, who has been in the IT and communication world for over a decade and is now the Director of Engineering at Kutia, has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of AI. He recalls early versions of ChatGPT being a helpful tool, and while initial AI programs weren't perfect, they've steadily become an integral part of his and his colleagues' work.
Similarly, for programmer Albi Hoti, AI has been a constant companion since he began his career two and a half years ago. "We know that AI learns, and it learns from us," Hoti explains. "The more we use it, the more it learns from its users. So, it's a great help." Both Kelmendi and Hoti utilize AI to solve various problems and handle routine tasks that don't demand significant creativity.
The ILO's Warning: High-Paying Jobs at Risk
Despite the perceived benefits, a recent ILO report highlights a potential downside: an increasing number of tasks across various sectors, especially IT, can now be performed by AI. This raises concerns that some professions could become obsolete in the future. The report suggests that one in four workers globally is in a profession at some risk of AI replacement. Intriguingly, those with higher incomes in wealthier countries are reportedly more susceptible, with only 46.1% of high-income workers facing no risk of displacement by AI. Conversely, individuals in lower-income professions are deemed to have more secure job prospects.
Adapting to the AI Revolution
Besnik Rama, Executive Director of Novende and an AI lecturer, draws a parallel between AI's current impact and how technology previously automated physical labor. Now, he notes, AI is starting to replace "intellectual work." He believes that "every profession will be affected by AI, some more, some less. However, AI will ease the work of all professions." Rama envisions AI in the future determining medical therapies and providing legal advice, specifically highlighting programmers as among the most impacted.
To navigate this evolving landscape, Rama offers two key pieces of advice: embrace AI as a reality and learn how to integrate it into your work. He reassures that programmers won't be eliminated by AI; instead, AI will simplify their work, improving both problem-solving speed and development quality.
Kosovo's Potential to Adapt
Kosovo's information and communication sector employed nearly 13,000 people in January 2025, according to the Kosovo Tax Administration. The average gross salary in this sector is €1,177, though software developers can earn significantly more.
Aldo Baxhaku, Public Communication Officer at the Kosovo Association of Information and Communication Technology (STIKK), emphasizes focusing on replaceable skills rather than entire professions. He states, "If in your position, you only perform repetitive, routine, template tasks and creativity or critical thinking plays no role, the exposure to automation or replacement by AI is high." However, Baxhaku believes that Kosovo's IT companies, specializing in creative solutions, are somewhat buffered from AI's current capabilities. Given Kosovo's young population, particularly those in the IT sector, Baxhaku is confident in the country's potential to adapt to these changes.
Both Rama and Baxhaku agree: those who wish to avoid being replaced by AI or falling behind must integrate it into their work processes. This is already happening in many Kosovar companies, from planning and recruitment to audio-visual content production.
Ultimately, as Lend Kelmendi points out, AI still has limitations. "If we talk about solving problems that have not appeared before, AI does not know how to solve them," he says. Therefore, he concludes, the only engineers who will be replaced are "engineers who will not use AI."/REL