AI-Adopting Firms Boost Hiring While Expanding Skill Demands
Companies that deploy artificial intelligence tools are posting 36% more job openings than firms that don't use the technology, according to research from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
The study examined hiring trends between 2020 and 2023 and found that AI adoption correlates with increased labour demand, not job losses. Job listings from AI-adopting companies also grew more complex, with employers requesting broader skill sets over time.
Skilled Roles See Strongest Demand
The occupations most exposed to AI-lawyers, accountants, and analysts-remained in strong demand at firms using the technology. These are professional, knowledge-intensive roles, not positions involving routine or manual work.
AI-exposed workers faced a slight hiring decline only at firms not adopting AI. This gap suggests a competitive disadvantage for skilled workers at non-adopting companies.
"Workers in AI-adopting firms are potentially more competitive because they're able to use these tools to augment their work," said Claire Mason, lead author of the study and head of the Workforce and Productivity research team at CSIRO.
Jobs Evolve Rather Than Disappear
The CSIRO findings show that AI adoption leads to task redistribution and role expansion, not elimination. Skill requirements broaden as responsibilities shift within existing positions.
The research predates widespread generative AI adoption. More recent Australian labour data show similar patterns even as newer AI tools became common across organisations.
"Rather than sudden disruption, jobs are evolving incrementally," Mason said. "Tasks are being redistributed, skill sets broadened, and roles expanded-without the role itself disappearing."
What This Means for HR Strategy
The research suggests HR teams should focus on upskilling rather than workforce reduction. Workers who gain proficiency with AI tools become more valuable to their employers and more competitive in the job market.
Mason emphasized that humans retain advantages AI cannot replicate. "The future of work includes human workers with inherently human skills, embracing technology like AI. Technology creates new opportunities."
For HR professionals managing talent strategy, AI for Human Resources resources can help teams understand how to position their organisations for this shift. HR leaders may also benefit from the AI Learning Path for CHROs, which addresses workforce transformation and talent strategy in an AI-driven environment.
The takeaway: firms that adopt AI and invest in worker development gain a hiring advantage. Those that don't risk losing skilled talent to competitors.
Your membership also unlocks:
