New research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) finds that 12.6% of current roles in the US are at high risk, or very high risk, of displacement due to the proliferation of AI-powered tools across the American workplace.
The report doesn’t attempt to forecast future job losses stemming from automation, but instead looks at the exposure of the current US workforce. Many technologists note that the adoption curve for technology is long, and with many HR teams racing to become AI-enabled in 2025, the AI penetration at the enterprise level is just beginning.
The report found blue-collar, service, and administrative support roles are disproportionately affected by the technology and are at higher risks than other occupations. Additionally, finance and insurance, manufacturing, and transportation and warehouse roles report the highest exposure to automation-driven disruptions, the report found.
The good news is the vast majority of jobs are negligibly or only slightly at risk for AI-related displacement (62.8%). The findings echo earlier HR Brew reporting that AI automation generally (and currently) addresses task-based work rather than entire roles.
“AI tools are about tasks rather than jobs. They are removing a subset of activities…that are sapping their productivity,” according to Zoom’s Josh Kallmer earlier this year.
The findings come as companies are working quickly to procure and develop AI tools to augment their workflow and improve productivity, chiefly addressing rote work involved in day-to-day activities, allowing employees to transform their roles into new AI-powered ones.
“As HR executives navigate this era of rapid automation, the key challenges are not just anticipating displacement and replacement but actively shaping the future of work and focusing on transformation of roles,” according to SHRM’s senior labor economist Justin Ladner in a blog post about the findings. “HR leaders must focus on workforce agility by investing in continuous learning, reskilling, and redesigning roles to complement automation rather than compete with it.”
This report was originally published by HR Brew.