Since our return from Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year, we have been dissecting the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025. The WEF surveyed more than 1,000 companies from 22 different industries across 55 countries to attempt to predict and paint a picture of what work will look like in 2030.
The encouraging news is that there are projected to be 170 million new jobs globally by 2030; however, 92 million jobs are expected to be eliminated due to AI automation. That is a net gain of 78 million jobs by 2030. To get a true understanding of why and how this shift will occur, here is a look at the story beneath the story.
4 factors reshaping the global workforce
Four disruptive forces driving the next chapter of work stood out in the WEF report:
AI and automation will continue to permeate the globe. By 2030, 86% of companies anticipate that artificial intelligence will have a significant impact on their operations. The scale and speed of this shift are unprecedented.Economic pressure is growing. Half of employers say rising costs are forcing them to rework their business models by looking at ways to cut costs while increasing revenue and production. How? AI and automation are the fastest and surest ways.The green transition is accelerating. As companies pursue their own climate goals, demand will surge for renewable energy engineers, sustainability consultants, and carbon auditors. Demographics are shifting. Developed countries are aging at an accelerated rate, while developing nations are sending their younger populations into the workforce. This shift is creating opportunities in several regions worldwide.
AI creates new business models, opportunities, and industries
Every technological revolution—from electricity to the internet—sparked fears of obsolescence. But each wave created more jobs than it destroyed. Take the internet: In the 1990s, critics predicted a massive increase in unemployment and economic destruction. Today? The commercial internet alone supports 28.4 million jobs and drives 18% of the United State’s GDP.
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As surely as it will make some jobs obsolete, AI will generate new business models, opportunities, and industries.