Artificial intelligence continues to reshape the labor market: according to a survey by the World Economic Forum (WEF), 41% of employers plan to reduce their workforce due to task automation. The study encompassed hundreds of major companies worldwide.
Simultaneously, 77% of employers intend to invest in employee reskilling between 2025 and 2030, enabling workers to collaborate effectively with AI. However, unlike the 2023 report, the latest edition does not claim that technologies, including AI, will have an exclusively positive impact on job creation.
According to WEF representatives, the advancement of AI and renewable energy is sculpting a new labor market landscape, driving demand for technological and specialized roles while reducing the need for positions such as graphic designers.
Generative AI, capable of producing text, images, and other content based on user input, has emerged as a pivotal driver of these changes. The WEF highlighted the transformative influence of GenAI across various industries and functions.
Occupations expected to see a sharp decline include postal workers, executive secretaries, and payroll specialists. For the first time, graphic designers and legal secretaries have joined the list of vulnerable professions, underscoring AI’s growing ability to perform cognitive tasks.
Despite these challenges, the demand for AI-related skills continues to rise. Approximately 70% of companies plan to hire specialists to develop AI-driven tools, while 62% aim to expand their workforce with employees adept at collaborating with AI systems.
Although concerns persist, the primary impact of generative AI is not expected to stem from the outright replacement of human workers but rather from enhancing productivity through human-machine collaboration. Human-centric skills, particularly those focused on interpersonal interaction, remain critically important.
Nevertheless, in recent years, many workers have already faced layoffs due to AI adoption. Companies such as Dropbox and Duolingo have publicly stated that process optimization through technology was a contributing factor to workforce reductions.
