WEF: AI Will Create and Displace Millions of Jobs

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Professor Klaus Schwab discussing how tech can be used for human potential (image credit: WEF)
The WEF predicts AI & tech will create 170 million jobs while displacing 92 million, urging upskilling to prepare workforces for the AI-driven future

The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2025 forecasts AI to trigger the most significant labour transformation since the industrial revolution.

The report anticipates that by 2030, AI and other information processing technologies will transform 86% of businesses, sparking the creation of 170 million new roles worldwide while making 92 million existing jobs redundant.

The findings derive from a survey encompassing 1,000 companies across 22 industries and 55 economies, which altogether employ more than 14 million people.

These insights reveal an economy in dynamic transition, offering both challenges and opportunities resulting from rapid technological progress.

Rising global interest in AI

Since OpenAI introduced ChatGPT in November 2022, investment in generative AI has soared, approaching nearly eight times the initial figures.

"As we enter 2025, the landscape of work continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Transformational breakthroughs, particularly in Gen AI, are reshaping industries and tasks across all sectors," says Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the WEF.

MD at the WEF, Saadia Zahidi

This financial boost supports not only software development but also the necessary physical infrastructure, like servers and power plants.

The technology industry, unsurprisingly, is at the forefront of adopting AI, whereas sectors like construction lag behind.

Economically, advanced and middle-income nations display broad adoption of generative AI, while low-income regions show minimal engagement.

Workplace studies reflect that generative AI significantly enhances human capabilities, especially for newer employees.

It can allow less specialised workers to undertake tasks previously reserved for experts, improving productivity among roles such as accounting clerks, nurses and teaching assistants.

Automation's role in evolving manufacturing

The WEF says robot deployment is predominantly concentrated in China, Japan, the US, the Republic of Korea and Germany.

Key facts on how AI is impacting the global workforce:
  • 86% of employers expect AI and information processing technologies to transform their business by 2030
  • 170 million new jobs to be created globally by 2030, while 92 million existing roles face displacement
  • Investment in Gen AI has increased eightfold since ChatGPT's launch
  • 39% of existing skill sets will become outdated between 2025-2030
  • 85% of employers plan to prioritise workforce upskilling
  • 63% of employers identify skills gaps as the primary barrier to business transformation

These five nations comprise 80% of the world's robot installations, with a global robot density of 162 units per 10,000 employees — a figure that has doubled over the past seven years.

Expectations for the impact of robotics vary by region, heavily influenced by the level of technological advancement.

The leading countries anticipate significant transformation due to robotics, whereas only 39% and 44% of employers expect similar impacts in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa, respectively.

Chief People and Sustainability Officer and Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG, Judith Wiese, says: “Imagine if a five-year degree were designed for today's skills; by the time it is completed, two years' worth of those skills would already be outdated.”

Chief People and Sustainability Officer at Siemens, Judith Wiese

Similarly, the WEF reports a decreasing yet significant percentage of skills becoming outdated — 39% by 2030, down from 57% in 2020.

Training and upskilling efforts are rising, with half of the workforce undergoing education to meet these new demands.

The importance of upskilling

The WEF identifies the skills gap as a primary obstacle to corporate transformation.

Seventy percent of those surveyed plan on recruiting new personnel with requisite skills, and 85% prioritise internal upskilling.

Technology roles, alongside positions supporting the 'green transition' — like renewable energy engineers — are among those expected to see the fastest growth.

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Meanwhile, traditional frontline occupations including farmworkers and construction personnel, alongside care economy roles such as nurses, are also predicted to expand significantly.

Environmental challenges and demographic shifts are redesigning labour markets globally.

High-income regions are experiencing ageing populations, boosting demand for healthcare services, while lower-income areas with growing working-age populations are witnessing an expansion in educational sectors.


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