AI may wipe out generation of workers, WEF warns

With yearly investments in artificial intelligence (AI) applications predicted by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Bain & Company to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, the early-stage workforce generation − aged 22 to 27 − risks being lost because of this cutting-edge technology.

This younger work cohort was already badly hit during their final years of school when COVID-19 meant learning and work moved online.

Now a paper released on the sidelines of the WEF, happening in Davos this week, warns that this age group risks being further disadvantaged by AI.

In a blog published to coincide with the WEF, Lisa Stevens, chief administrative officer at Aon Corporation, noted that, given AI is changing the way people work at an unprecedented speed, nearly 1.1 billion jobs could be reshaped by the end of the decade.

Stevens cautions that automated entry-level work for efficiency gains risks erasing early-career pathways for those between 22 and 27, which will weaken the future skills pipeline needed for long-term growth.

These young people, primarily Generation Z, are seen as the first generation of true “digital natives”, having grown up with internet access, smartphones and social media as an established part of daily life.

“If automation advances without careful oversight, we could see the emergence of a ‘lost generation’ of early-career talent – an outcome that can be avoided with the right leadership focus and design choices,” Stevens said.

Stevens noted that automation compounds the challenge those entering the workforce face after the pandemic upended life experiences that built confidence and judgement. “AI threatens to add new pressures on job prospects, mental health and wellbeing.”

In addition, “many young professionals spent critical years in isolation, missing out on in-person learning, mentorship and exposure to complex environments. This gap is fuelling distress among new graduates; 19per cent of the class of 2026 report feeling ‘very pessimistic’ about the job market,” Stevens said.

The WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 finds that 92 million existing jobs are expected to be displaced due to automation and changing work patterns. Yet, it also indicates there will be a net increase of about 78 million jobs globally by 2030 because AI, automation and digital technologies are creating more new tech-driven roles than they displace.

Early signs of strain are already visible, Stevens said. She points out that in the US, unemployment among early-career talent aged 22 to 27 is at 7.1per cent, about three points higher than the overall workforce.

Jobs most often cited as being at risk from automation include data entry and clerical work, receptionists, tier one tech support, basic sales positions, as well as junior roles in HR and marketing.

Stevens said employers and leaders have an opportunity to reset how this generation is supported, strengthening their career prospects and the economy’s long-term growth and resilience.

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“Handled well, this shift has the potential to not only reshape work, but to strengthen how early careers are built and supported,” she said.

To achieve this, organisations must re-centre early-career development on human skills that are core to AI-enabled work, Stevens argued.

“The real imperative is to redesign entry-level roles and modernise early-career pathways in ways that strengthen long-term talent pipelines. This means separating routine tasks from development opportunities – automating repetitive work while preserving and enhancing essential early-career learning,” she wrote.

Stevens added that companies need to prioritise and reward learning agility, curiosity and adaptability, which she says are “traits that are among the strongest predictors of successful AI adoption”.

This will help create a culture where early-career talent see change as an opportunity for growth. Supporting mental health and wellbeing must also be part of this equation, she notes.

Stevens argues that employers have a responsibility to help early-career professionals become, and remain, employable. “This is especially urgent for a generation whose early work and educational experiences were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she wrote.