WEF Report: The Impact of AI Driving 170m New Jobs by 2030
The convergence of technological change, economic uncertainty and demographic shifts shows no sign of slowing down.
Labour is a particular market that is at the mercy of digital transformation, having to transform drastically as AI steps in and replaces manual jobs worldwide.
However, the fear and anxiety culture around AI replacing human jobs is changing, as the realisation of the jobs AI can supply as well as replace are being realised.
WEF’s new Future of Jobs Report 2025 suggests AI will catalyse the most significant transformation of work since the industrial revolution.
The organisation believes that AI and information processing technologies will transform 86% of businesses by 2030, with technological advances creating 170 million new jobs globally while displacing 92 million existing roles.
This report surveys 1,000 companies across 22 industries and 55 economies, collectively employing more than 14 million workers.
The responses paint a picture of an economy in turbulent transition, but also one where technological advancement creates opportunities while simultaneously displacing traditional roles.
From ChatGPT to a global AI investment surge
Investment in Gen AI has increased nearly eightfold since OpenAI released ChatGPT in November 2022.
"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."
This surge includes capital allocation to physical infrastructure such as servers and energy generation plants.
It is no surprise that the technology sector leads AI adoption, while construction lags behind. Supporting this, the WEF reports advanced and middle-income economies show particular widespread diffusion of Gen AI among users, while low-income economies report minimal usage.
Additionally, workplace studies indicate Gen AI enhances human skills and performance, particularly among newer workers.
This means that rather than AI replacing jobs, it could enable less specialised employees to perform expert tasks, expanding capabilities for accounting clerks, nurses and teaching assistants.
How robotics and automation will shape manufacturing's future
According to the WEF, Robot installations concentrate in five countries - China, Japan, US, Republic of Korea and Germany - accounting for 80% of global deployments.
- 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
Global robot density now reaches 162 units per 10,000 employees, which is double the figure from seven years ago.
However, expectations for robotics impact naturally varies by region depending on technological development, with over 60% of employers in the five leading countries anticipating transformation, compared to 39% in Sub-Saharan Africa and 44% in the Middle East and North Africa.
In a LinkedIn post, discussing the importance of upskilling people to keep up with AI’s revolution in the manufacturing sector, Chief People and Sustainability Officer and Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG, Judith Wiese points out: “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.”
Echoing Judith’s comment, the WEF finds 39% of existing skill sets will become outdated between 2025-2030, though this represents a decrease from 44% in 2023 and 57% in 2020, despite half of workers having completed training or upskilling, up from 41% in 2023.
Regarding this challenge, Coursera, the online learning platform, reports increasing demand for Gen AI training.
Currently, India and the US lead in enrolment numbers, with US demand driven by individual users while Indian uptake stems from corporate sponsorship.
The emphasis is on individual learners focusing on foundational skills like prompt engineering - the practice of crafting effective text inputs for AI systems - while corporate trainees emphasise practical workplace applications.
The path forward to upskill workforces for digital change
The WEF reports that skills gaps present the primary barrier to business transformation for 63% of employers, “showing that successful transformations are fundamentally powered by people - equipped with the right mindset and skills,” Judith commented.
In response, 85% plan to prioritise upskilling their workforce, while 70% expect to hire staff with new skills.
The research also finds that technology roles show the fastest percentage growth, including positions for big data specialists, fintech engineers and AI specialists, whilst green transition roles such as autonomous vehicle specialists and renewable energy engineers also feature among rapidly expanding positions.
Simultaneously, frontline roles expect the largest volume growth, including farmworkers, delivery drivers, construction workers and food processing workers and care economy jobs, including nursing professionals and social workers, also show significant expansion.
Climate change mitigation ranks as the third most transformative trend, with 47% of employers expecting business impact by 2030, which drives demand for renewable energy engineers and environmental specialists.
Meanwhile, demographic shifts continue to shape labour markets, with aging populations in high-income economies increasing healthcare demand and expanding working-age populations in lower-income economies fuelling the education sector's growth.
Acknowledging tech education being a crucial step in closing the skills gap, Judith says that “urgent upskilling is essential, as nearly 40% of the skills currently required on the job are set to change.”
Yet Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the WEF warns of the difficulties ahead: “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.
“These technological advances, however, are converging with a broader array of challenges, including economic volatility, geoeconomic realignments, environmental challenges and evolving societal expectations.”
Explore the latest edition of AI Magazine and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Tech & AI LIVE.
Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today.
AI Magazine is a BizClik brand
