Overview

• Companies including Amazon, Microsoft and Shopify have announced layoffs or trimmed white-collar staff by 3.5% over the past three years in response to automation forecasts
• Reports from UNCTAD and the OECD warn that up to 40% of global jobs and 60% in advanced economies face automation, with women and older workers most at risk
• McKinsey and the World Economic Forum predict AI will also create millions of new roles in fields such as AI development, data science, cybersecurity and human-AI collaboration
• Leaders like Mark Minevich highlight the need to prioritize emotional intelligence, creativity and ethical judgment within hybrid intelligence models to preserve human agency
• Surveys show 47% of executives are prioritizing workforce upskilling while 78% plan to add AI-focused positions to balance efficiency gains with human capital