It’s a question that’s been asked for years: will AI replace jobs?

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The answer isn’t as clear as we might hope — yes and no.

Recent reports paint a complex picture. Goldman Sachs suggests that AI could replace up to 300 million full-time jobs by 2030, potentially impacting a quarter of tasks in the US and Europe. McKinsey’s research supports this, forecasting similar shifts.

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So, which jobs are at risk? Sectors like customer service, accounting, sales, and warehouse work are often cited, along with roles in research, driving, and retail. But the scope may go further. Many suggest we’ll also see AI making inroads into teaching, law, HR, healthcare, and even creative fields like writing and art.

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This introduces a particular challenge for policymakers.

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AI is advancing rapidly, but integrating it into public sectors is delicate. Leaders are wary of endorsing a technology that could reduce jobs, particularly in industries with strong ties to the economy and human services.

But there’s another side to the story. AI has the potential to reignite productivity growth, which has stagnated in recent decades. A productivity boost could generate significant economic benefits, which could be channeled into a solution we often hear about but rarely see realized: reskilling and upskilling the workforce.

AI’s impact isn’t as selective as past technological disruptions. It will affect both high and low-skilled professions — lawyers, doctors, and analysts alongside cashiers and drivers. That means no occupation will remain entirely untouched by AI’s reach.

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What’s clear is that a strategic, long-term plan is essential. We need a proactive approach to retraining the labor force to integrate AI’s capabilities, ensuring people can work alongside these tools rather than be replaced by them. The cost of such an effort could be offset by the gains in productivity that AI is already delivering. More importantly, this could ease public concerns and offer a way for AI to enhance the economy without dismantling it.

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While AI will reshape the job market, it’s important to remember what it can’t replace. Creativity, empathy, ethical decision-making — these are core to the human experience and remain difficult for AI to replicate. The future of work lies not in resisting AI but in understanding how to leverage its strengths alongside our own. By finding ways to collaborate with AI, we can ensure that it complements our abilities, leading to progress rather than disruption.