In 2023, Goldman Sachs estimated that AI could replace 300 million full-time jobs worldwide. Another report by PwC predicts that by 2030, up to 30 per cent of all jobs could be automated. For years, we were assured that only repetitive, low-skilled work was at risk. Yet, AI is now capable of producing marketing content, writing legal documents, diagnosing medical conditions, and even managing customer relations. In a recent MIT study, AI-driven automation increased productivity in clerical jobs by 40pc, leaving many employers questioning the need for human intervention at all. This shift is no longer theoretical – it is happening in real time, and the implications are staggering.
The rise of AI poses an uncomfortable truth: the traditional career path is vanishing. The model of entering a profession, gaining expertise, and retiring decades later with experience as your greatest asset is being disrupted. AI does not need experience; it learns at an exponential rate. While human workers accumulate knowledge over years, AI systems can absorb and process millions of data points in minutes. This raises a difficult question – how do we compete with machines that never forget, never tire, and never stop improving?
For businesses, the benefits of AI-driven efficiency are undeniable. AI reduces operational costs, eliminates errors, and works round the clock. However, the economic advantage comes at a human cost. In 2024, the World Economic Forum projected that while AI will create 97m new jobs globally, it will simultaneously displace 85m. This net job gain is misleading when we consider that many of the new roles require specialised skills that current workers do not possess. A factory worker cannot simply transition into an AI ethics consultant overnight. The reality is that those who lose jobs to AI are often not the same individuals who will benefit from its new opportunities.
This leaves one crucial question: what happens to the Alpha Generation, the children born between 2010 and 2025, who will enter a job market unlike anything we have ever seen? Unlike Millennials and Generation Z, who adapted to digital transformation as it unfolded, Gen Alpha will grow up in a world where AI is deeply embedded in every aspect of work and life. Will they have careers in the traditional sense, or will they be forced into perpetual adaptation, shifting from job to job as AI continuously reshapes industries? A study by the Institute for the Future predicts that 85pc of the jobs that will exist in 2035 have not been invented yet. This suggests that Gen Alpha will have to rely on skills that cannot be automated – creativity, critical thinking, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. But are our education systems preparing them for this reality?
If AI continues to erode traditional career paths, the biggest challenge for Gen Alpha will not be finding jobs but defining their value in a world where AI performs most cognitive tasks better and faster. While AI may handle the bulk of analytical and administrative work, Gen Alpha will need to carve out roles that depend on human ingenuity – entrepreneurship, ethical AI oversight, personalisation in service industries, and leadership in human-centric professions. They will have to develop the ability to pivot constantly, learning new skills throughout their lives rather than settling into a single career. Traditional degrees may become obsolete, replaced by dynamic, modular learning experiences that adapt to evolving job demands. The ability to collaborate with AI rather than compete against it will determine their success. It scares me to death since we are investing in our youth’s education but for jobs that we cannot even imagine yet!
The AI revolution is not coming – it is here. Whether it becomes our greatest partner or our most formidable competitor depends entirely on how we choose to integrate it into our economies and societies. If we allow unchecked automation to dictate the future of work, the consequences could be catastrophic. However, if we position AI as a tool that complements rather than replaces human talent, we may find that the most valuable workplaces of the future are those where technology and humanity thrive together.
Join us next month for another edition of Workplace Watch, where we’ll explore more trends shaping the future of work. Until then, keep growing, keep learning, and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Amal Kooheji is a growth advocate
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