AI Shift: Generalists Outshine Specialists as AI Evolution Accelerates

Shares in EliseAI, a company specializing in artificial intelligence, rose 15% on December 20, 2025, following a statement from its CTO and co-founder, Tony Stoyanov, who emphasized the shift in the job market from specialists to generalists due to the rapid evolution of AI technology. According to Stoyanov, the pace of change has exploded, making it impossible for companies to hire staff-level specialists who have been building AI agents for five years, as the technology has not existed for that long. The rapid advancement of AI has led to a significant change in the job market, particularly in software engineering, which has experienced the most dramatic shift of all. As Stoyanov noted, "The people thriving today are not those with the longest résumés; they're the ones who learn fast, adapt fast, and act without waiting for direction." This transformation is evident in the fact that new technologies appear and mature in less than a year, making it essential for professionals to be adaptable and able to learn quickly. In the 2010s, tech companies focused on hiring staff-level specialists, such as backend engineers, data scientists, and system architects. This model worked when technology evolved slowly, and specialists could deliver quickly and build careers on predictable foundations like cloud infrastructure or the latest JavaScript framework. However, with the advent of AI, the job market has undergone a significant shift. According to McKinsey estimates, by 2025, AI will have lowered the barrier to doing complex technical work, and raised expectations for what counts as real expertise. This has led to a change in the way companies approach hiring, with a greater emphasis on generalists who can adapt to new technologies and learn quickly. EliseAI's CTO, Tony Stoyanov, believes that this shift is not limited to the tech industry. "The same principles apply to other fields, where professionals need to be able to learn and adapt quickly to stay relevant," he said. "As AI continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more dramatic changes in the job market." The implications of this shift are far-reaching, with potential consequences for education, training, and the way we approach work. As AI continues to advance, it is likely that the demand for generalists will only increase, making it essential for professionals to develop skills that are transferable across different industries and technologies. In conclusion, the rapid evolution of AI has led to a significant shift in the job market, from specialists to generalists. As Tony Stoyanov noted, "The people thriving today are not those with the longest résumés; they're the ones who learn fast, adapt fast, and act without waiting for direction." As AI continues to advance, it is essential for professionals to be adaptable and able to learn quickly to stay relevant in the job market.