Adecco Says AI Is Reshaping Jobs Rather Than Causing a Widespread Employment Crisis

Staffing company Adecco Group said artificial intelligence is unlikely to cause a broad collapse in employment, despite ongoing concerns that automation could replace large numbers of workers.

The company's latest study comes at a time when employers have increasingly linked workforce reductions to AI. According to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, nearly one-quarter of job cuts announced in the United States this year have been attributed to artificial intelligence. Companies including Microsoft, HSBC, Amazon, and Standard Chartered have also reduced headcount while increasing investment in AI-related initiatives.

Adecco Chief Executive Denis Machuel said some organizations may be citing AI as the reason for layoffs when the actual causes include weaker business performance, restructuring efforts, or other operational challenges.

Machuel said AI is significantly changing the way people work, but the available evidence does not suggest it will eliminate jobs on a massive scale. Instead, he said, the technology is more likely to reshape job responsibilities and daily tasks.

Adecco pointed to employment data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), noting that employment levels remain high while unemployment rates are close to historic lows across its 38 member countries, even several years after the launch of ChatGPT.

Machuel also compared the current AI transition with earlier technological shifts such as steam power, electricity, information technology, and the internet, saying those innovations transformed workplaces without leading to widespread job losses.

He acknowledged that some entry-level roles are disappearing but said employers should rethink these positions rather than remove them entirely, as doing so could weaken future talent pipelines. He added that upskilling, reskilling, and stronger cooperation between businesses, governments, and educational institutions will be important as AI adoption continues.