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Imagine being a CEO of a major company and being told that, in the next 24 months, up to 50% of your employees may no longer be needed because their roles are being automated or rendered obsolete.
Estimates have projected that between 400 million and 800 million jobs worldwide could be displaced by automation by 2030. And artificial intelligence (AI) could cause "99%" of all workers to be unemployed by 2030. Even if the true figure is more like 30%, it’s the quiet reality being whispered across the American executive suite.
We’re standing at the edge of a massive disruption driven by AI, automation and new models of work that few leaders are talking about publicly, let alone planning for with courage and foresight.
This transformation won’t just affect Silicon Valley engineers. In the United States, it could reshape roles held by administrative assistants, middle managers in the Midwest and customer service representatives from Salt Lake City. Its impact is on everyone and is already underway.
What matters now is how we choose to lead through it. Our approach should be one that is characterised by integrity, foresight and basic human compassion.
...leaders are signalling major shifts in how work and workers adapt to AI.
Yes, past revolutions reshaped work – the industrial era, the digital boom, the rise of the internet. And many point to the comforting idea that new jobs always emerged to replace those that were lost.
But here’s the truth: while jobs were created during those transitions, they were not created as fast as old ones disappeared, especially not in the same geographies or for the same people. The transition was messy and painful. Whole communities were devastated.
This time, AI is coming not just for the assembly line but for the meeting room; not just for routine tasks but for analysis, strategy, content creation and even managerial oversight. It isn’t only automating the bottom of the pyramid, it’s collapsing it.
And unlike earlier shifts, there is no obvious next wave of roles poised to scale employment in comparable ways. What will a call centre worker be reskilled to do that AI won’t be able to do within the next 18 months?
There will be new roles but likely fewer. And for those, there’s opportunity. The winners will be the ones who learn to create value with AI, not just those waiting to be retrained for it.
Some courageous leaders are already facing this disruption head-on and bringing their people with them.
Indeed has launched a robust AI upskilling programme tailored to address employees’ anxieties and build their capabilities. The initiative includes:
This is a prime example of transparent, inclusive reskilling that invites employees into the AI transformation journey.
And they’re not alone. Across industries, other leaders are signalling major shifts in how work and workers adapt to AI.
PwC is taking a proactive and transparent approach by acknowledging that AI will automate many entry-level tasks.
They’ve also shifted training for new accountants to focus on higher-order skills such as critical thinking, negotiation and oversight of AI systems. Within three years, juniors are expected to take on responsibilities previously reserved for mid-level managers.
At a recent Aspen Ideas Festival, Ford CEO Jim Farley went on record stating that AI could potentially replace half of all white-collar jobs. His remarks didn’t shy away from the severity of the transformation but instead emphasized the importance of strategic planning to support impacted employees.
As a leader, you have a choice: issue a challenge worthy of your people’s creativity and grit or stay silent and let AI decide their fate for them.
Your people are already hearing that AI is coming for their jobs. What they don’t have is clarity, honesty and a meaningful path forward. Pretending there’s nothing to worry about will only fuel anxiety. The most effective leaders we’ve worked with have opened the door with something like:
“Yes, this will be a time of massive transition. But you don’t have to be a victim of it. We want you to help shape what comes next.”
Transparency becomes a catalyst, not a threat, when paired with a compelling invitation.
The best organizations are inviting their people into challenges:
Employees who rise to those challenges don’t just become more valuable to the company; they also future-proof themselves.
Change won’t happen by memo. It begins when people are inspired, not required, to lead.
Form “AI acceleration squads.” Recruit early adopters. Coach managers on how to run AI sprints with their teams. Set up monthly “show and tell” forums where employees demo productivity wins and share prompts.
The companies thriving through this disruption are creating a movement, not just a strategy. One pilot, one champion, one win at a time.
Let’s be clear, many jobs will be lost; entire functions may ultimately be eliminated. Some companies will shrink. However, some will emerge more adaptive, agile and high-performing, led by teams that dared to engage with this disruption early.
As a leader, you have a choice: issue a challenge worthy of your people’s creativity and grit or stay silent and let AI decide their fate for them.
The future of work doesn’t have to be a story of fear and loss. It can be a story of reinvention and co-creation but only if we lead it that way.