US companies are seeking fewer foreign developers, and more "AI engineers"

Department of Labor LCA data show software-developer H-1B filings fell 36% from fiscal 2022 to fiscal 2026 (October–June comparisons), with new-hire filings down 46%, while filings carrying AI job titles reached 1.8% of all certified H-1B filings in fiscal 2026. AI-titled filings rose 80% for titles spelling out "machine learning" or "artificial intelligence," and shorter titles such as "AI engineer" supplied 92% of the latest year's increase, with employers outside the five largest accounting for 85% of AI-titled filings. Microsoft's software filings fell 44% and Google's 33%, while Nvidia's nearly quadrupled and Amazon's rose 34%.