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AI and Jobs: 4 Takeaways From Google’s Chief Economist

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Google’s chief economist Fabien Curto Millet highlights that AI will transform most jobs rather than eliminate them outright, with significant productivity gains arising from redesigning workflows rather than incremental improvements. He emphasizes that managers will need to adapt by overseeing AI agents alongside human teams and that workforce training and upskilling are critical to help displaced workers transition into new roles created by AI. Public-private partnerships and equitable access to AI technologies will be essential to ensure broad economic benefits and address disparities in AI adoption.

https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/ai-and-jobs-4-takeaways-googles-chief-economist

Voters Want AI Regulated for Jobs, Not Just Safety

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A survey across 11 advanced economies reveals that a majority of citizens support establishing an independent authority to regulate generative AI, with stronger backing in countries like the UK. Public tolerance for AI in the workplace depends significantly on its impact on jobs: strict regulation is favored when AI-driven job losses do not increase firm profits, but less so when new jobs are created or profits rise. The findings indicate broad public concern with the socio-economic distribution of AI’s benefits and risks, suggesting that regulatory frameworks should address labor-market impacts alongside safety and control issues.

https://www.socialeurope.eu/voters-want-ai-regulated-for-jobs-not-just-safety

89% of CIOs Say They’re Now More Responsible for Workforce Redesign Than Core IT Infrastructure

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A recent survey found that 89% of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) now consider themselves more responsible for workforce redesign than for managing core IT infrastructure. This shift reflects the evolving role of CIOs in organizations, emphasizing their growing involvement in transforming workforce strategies alongside technology leadership.

https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/89-of-cios-say-theyre-now-more-responsible-for-workforce-redesign-than-core-it-infrastructure-302900900.html

‘The Collision: What AI Does to Us’

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MIT Sloan professor Eric So’s book “The Collision: What AI Does to Us” explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping human cognition, potentially weakening our judgment, learning, and tolerance for challenging problems as people increasingly outsource thinking to AI—a phenomenon he terms “AI gravity.” So advises employees, managers, executives, and educators to use AI as a tool to augment uniquely human skills rather than replace them, emphasizing the importance of preserving deep thinking, rewarding sound judgment, developing talent alongside AI adoption, and integrating AI education rather than banning it. He warns that misusing AI risks cognitive atrophy and long-term workforce de-skilling, urging that AI be leveraged to free humans for more sophisticated, boundary-pushing work while keeping humans in control.

https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/collision-what-ai-does-to-us

A Collection of HBR’s Most Insightful Research on AI at Work

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Harvard Business Review’s research reveals that AI is increasingly integrated into workplaces, with employees delegating complex tasks and workflows to AI, often expanding their scope of work but also facing challenges like increased task switching and burnout. The findings caution leaders to carefully manage AI use to avoid inefficiencies, scrutinize AI outputs and human assumptions, and maintain clear accountability as AI changes decision-making roles. Importantly, human judgment and expertise remain crucial for interpreting AI results, with organizations needing to design meaningful human roles alongside AI implementation.

https://hbr.org/2026/09/a-collection-of-hbrs-most-insightful-research-on-ai-at-work

Why Redesigning a Job Takes More Than the Equipment That Prompted It

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Lynn Lim, Head of Operations at Singapore-based ICFM, emphasizes that redesigning jobs in facilities management requires changes to the operating model first, not just adding technology like robots. Automation can take over repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on complex, judgement-based work and quality assurance, while multi-skilled teams and clear training help address workforce challenges including an ageing staff and contractual employment. Lim argues that effective job redesign must involve rethinking work organization, responsibilities, and support systems to improve productivity without overburdening employees.

https://hrmasia.com/why-redesigning-a-job-takes-more-than-the-equipment-that-prompted-it/

Workplace AI Adoption Remains Slow, Informal and Uneven, Survey Finds

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A 2026 survey by the University of Konstanz found workplace AI adoption remains slow, informal, and uneven, with only 38% of employees using AI in their work, a slight increase from the previous year. Usage is often employee-driven rather than strategically managed, with disparities across occupational groups, education levels, and organizational size, leading to uneven benefits and risks. The study highlights the need for clearer company policies, AI training, and support—particularly for small businesses and less-educated workers—to address these inequalities and facilitate a more systematic AI integration.

https://phys.org/news/2026-09-workplace-ai-uneven-survey.html

AI Was Supposed to Destroy Jobs. Where’s the Carnage?

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Despite early predictions that AI would cause widespread job losses, economists and recent data show that mass displacement has not yet occurred; instead, AI is transforming the nature of work by increasing productivity and shifting skill requirements. Employers are raising expectations for AI skills, leading to job consolidation and changing hiring patterns, with a growing emphasis on freelance and contract roles as companies adjust. While some workers may face more precarious employment, experts note that the full economic and labor market impacts of AI will unfold over many years.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/12/ai-job-destruction

Tech Leaders Say AI Means Less Work – Their Staff Say They Work up to 90 Hours a Week

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Tech company leaders have predicted that AI will reduce working hours and enable shorter workweeks, but employees at AI-focused firms report much longer hours, sometimes up to 90 hours weekly during intense project periods called “sprints.” Research shows AI use has led workers to take on more tasks, work faster, and extend hours, with time savings often absorbed by new responsibilities such as monitoring AI output, contributing to a culture of increased workload rather than reduced labor.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgx4yd1gl2o

What Workers Are Saying About AI

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A recent Ipsos survey reveals that while many American workers view AI as destructive to jobs and expect it to worsen the overall work experience, only a small percentage believe AI will replace their own jobs. Workers using AI tend to have more positive views about its impact in their fields, yet there remains widespread skepticism that the primary beneficiaries of AI will be business owners and executives rather than workers themselves.

https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/what-workers-are-saying-about-ai

AI Is Changing Work. Preparing Workers Must Be a Shared Priority.

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The Information Technology Industry Council emphasizes that artificial intelligence is transforming work by altering tasks rather than eliminating whole jobs, creating opportunities for productivity and innovation while also causing disruptions. They advocate for coordinated efforts among companies, governments, and educational institutions to invest in AI literacy, continuous workforce training, and skills development to prepare workers for these changes. ITI supports legislative measures that promote AI education and workforce reskilling to ensure Americans can adapt and thrive in the evolving AI-driven labor landscape.

https://www.itic.org/news-events/techwonk-blog/ai-is-changing-work-preparing-workers-must-be-a-shared-priority

Why Is Everyone In Tech So Sad?

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The article explores the growing sense of disillusionment among knowledge workers in the tech industry as AI increasingly automates their tasks, challenging the meaningfulness of their careers. It highlights how this shift may prompt a broader loss of faith in knowledge work itself, raising questions about the future role and well-being of professionals in an AI-driven economy.

https://www.noemamag.com/why-is-everyone-in-tech-so-sad/

When People Think AI Did the Creative Work, Task Meaning and Effort Decline

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A study by researchers from the United States and the Netherlands found that when people believe AI created a creative output, they perceive the related task as less meaningful and are less willing to put in effort, such as contributing their own ideas. This decline in task meaning and motivation occurs despite the quality of the AI-generated work remaining constant, highlighting a challenge for organizations adopting AI: preserving human engagement and a sense of ownership in AI-assisted workflows to fully realize productivity gains.

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/when-people-think-ai-did-the-creative-work-task-meaning-and-effort-decline/

AI at Work: Gains at the Top, Pressure for Everyone Else

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A recent survey by Groundwork Collaborative and Ipsos reveals that most American workers anticipate AI will primarily benefit business owners and executives rather than employees, with many expecting AI to worsen job conditions by eliminating roles and increasing work pressure. AI use is significantly higher among college graduates and white-collar workers, who also express more optimism about AI improving their jobs, while lower-income, less-educated, and Black workers are more likely to fear job replacement and negative impacts. Unemployed individuals report even greater concern about AI’s adverse effects on their employment prospects.

https://groundworkcollaborative.org/work/ai-at-work-gains-at-the-top-pressure-for-everyone-else/

Could AI Take Your Job? Some Workers in China Already Know the Answer

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In China, the rapid deployment of AI technologies, such as driverless taxis, is intensifying concerns about job security amid a fragile labor market where millions have shifted into gig work. While AI aims to drive shared prosperity, gig and white-collar workers express fear and uncertainty as automation disrupts traditional employment and wages. The country faces rising unemployment alongside a surge in flexible employment, highlighting tensions between technological progress and workforce stability.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/31/china-ai-jobs-workers-labour-market-technology

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