Research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) indicates that 12.6% of current roles in the United States face a high or very high risk of displacement due to the increasing implementation of AI-powered tools in workplaces.
The report does not predict future job losses due to automation but examines the exposure of the current U.S. workforce. Many technology experts suggest that technology adoption is a lengthy process, and with many HR teams striving to integrate AI by 2025, enterprise-level AI adoption is just beginning.
The study identifies that blue-collar, service, and administrative support roles are disproportionately impacted by technology and face higher risks of displacement compared to other occupations. Sectors such as finance and insurance, manufacturing, and transportation and warehousing report the highest exposure to automation-related disruptions.
However, the majority of jobs, 62.8%, are considered to have negligible or only slight risk of AI-related displacement. This aligns with earlier HR Brew findings that AI automation currently focuses more on tasks rather than entire roles.
Josh Kallmer from Zoom has noted that AI tools are more about refining tasks rather than replacing jobs, eliminating activities that reduce productivity.
The report emerges as companies rapidly acquire and develop AI tools to enhance workflow and boost productivity, mainly targeting routine tasks in daily activities, allowing employees to evolve their roles into new AI-enhanced positions.
Justin Ladner, SHRM’s senior labor economist, emphasizes that HR executives navigating this era of rapid automation face challenges beyond displacement and replacement, advocating for actively shaping the future of work and focusing on role transformation. HR leaders are encouraged to prioritize workforce agility by investing in continuous learning, reskilling, and redesigning roles to complement rather than compete with automation.
This report was initially published by HR Brew and featured on Fortune.com.
