Young workers most worried about AI affecting jobs, Randstad survey shows

Jan 20 (Reuters) – Four in five workers believe artificial intelligence will impact their daily tasks at work, according to a survey by Randstad on Tuesday; Generation Z is among those most concerned about companies becoming increasingly dependent on artificial intelligence chatbots and automation.

Randstad said in its annual “Workmonitor” report that job openings requiring “AI agent” skills have increased by 1,587%, and survey data suggests AI and automation are increasingly replacing low-complexity, transactional roles.

Randstad, one of the world’s largest recruitment agencies, surveyed 27,000 workers and 1,225 employers for the report and covered more than 3 million job postings in 35 markets.

WHY IT MATTERS Labor markets are under great pressure as consumer confidence weakens, shaken by US President Donald Trump’s trade war and aggressive foreign policy moves that damage the rules-based world order, and companies around the world increase layoffs. While most companies expect tangible returns from the extraordinary investment boom in artificial intelligence that will shape the business world in the coming years, AI-focused technology firms have begun replacing jobs with automation.

“What we generally see among employees is that they are enthusiastic about AI… but they can also be skeptical in the sense that they want what companies have always wanted: They want to save costs and increase efficiency,” Randstad CEO Sander van ‘t Noordende told Reuters.

“Generation Z is the most anxious generation, while Baby Boomers show greater self-confidence and are the least concerned about the impact of AI and their ability to adapt,” the report said.

The data showed that nearly half of workers interviewed fear that emerging technology will benefit companies more than the workforce.

There is also a discrepancy in how employers and workers view job performance. According to the report, while approximately 95 percent of employers surveyed forecast growth for this year, only 51 percent of employees share this optimism. (Reporting by Jakob Van Calster in Gdansk, Editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)