Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to change the job market: 41% of employers are planning to downsize their workforce by 2030, as AI automates certain tasks, according to a survey by the World Economic Forum (WEF) published on Wednesday.

Out of hundreds of large companies surveyed across the globe, 77% said they plan to reskill and upskill their existing workers between 2025 and 2030, enabling them to work more effectively alongside AI, as per findings published in the WEF’s “Future of Jobs” report. However, unlike the 2023 edition, this year’s report did not claim that most technologies, especially AI, would have a "net positive" effect on job numbers.

In a press release, the WEF mentioned, Advancements in AI and renewable energy are reshaping the labor market — driving an increase in demand for many technology or specialist roles while reducing demand for others, such as graphic designers.

Saadia, the managing director of WEF, noted that generative AI is transforming industries and roles across all sectors. This technology can create original text, images, and other content based on user prompts.

The report further revealed that jobs like postal service clerks, executive secretaries, and payroll clerks are expected to experience the fastest decline in the coming years, largely due to AI and other trends.

The inclusion of graphic designers and legal secretaries just outside the top 10 fastest-declining roles, a first-time prediction, may reflect the increasing ability to perform knowledge work with AI, the report stated.

On the other hand, AI skills are in growing demand. Nearly 70% of companies plan to hire new employees with skills to design AI tools and improvements, and 62% intend to recruit people who can work effectively with AI.

Striking an optimistic note, the report suggested that the main impact of technologies like generative AI on jobs may lie in their potential to "augment" human skills through human-machine collaboration rather than outright replacement, especially considering the ongoing importance of human-centered skills.

However, many workers have already been replaced by AI. In recent years, some tech companies, such as Dropbox and language-learning app Duolingo, cited AI as a reason for workforce layoffs.