AI is creating more jobs than it eliminates, global study finds
Artificial intelligence is driving net job growth across organisations worldwide, even as it reshapes technical roles, according to research from Snowflake that surveyed 2,050 business and technology leaders in 10 countries.
Globally, 77% of firms reported AI-driven job creation, while 46% reported job losses. Among organisations experiencing both hiring and cuts, 69% said the overall effect on their workforce has been positive.
Technical roles face the biggest shifts
IT operations, cybersecurity, and software development are seeing the strongest net gains. IT operations reported the highest job increases at 56%, followed by cybersecurity at 46% and software development at 38%.
But these same areas are also experiencing the largest cuts. IT operations reported the highest AI-related job losses at 40%, with customer service and data analytics each seeing 37% of organisations report reductions.
Entry-level and mid-level positions are bearing the brunt of cuts. Job losses linked to AI are concentrated at entry level (63%) and among middle management (46%).
Australia and New Zealand follow the global trend
In Australia and New Zealand, 74% of organisations are seeing AI-driven job creation, while 50% report role reductions. Among regional respondents, 41% said AI has created jobs across their organisations, 17% said it has eliminated roles, and 33% reported a mix of both.
Glenn McPherson, regional vice president for Australia at Snowflake, said the data challenges pessimistic narratives about AI and employment. "While job losses are always hard to come to terms with, the amount of jobs created across the region is a welcome surprise," he said.
ROI depends on how deeply AI is embedded
Nearly half (48%) of all code written in organisations is now AI-generated. Among early AI adopters, 92% report positive return on investment and plan to allocate about 22% of technology budgets to AI in the coming year-rising to 23% in Australia and New Zealand.
The strongest returns come from embedding AI into core operations rather than treating it as a side experiment. Adam DeMattia, senior director of research at Omdia by Informa TechTarget, said organisations need solid data foundations to sustain both ROI and workforce gains.
"Organisations that can unify their data, improve quality, and operationalise AI responsibly will be best positioned to sustain ROI and workforce gains," he said.
HR professionals need to prepare for uneven impacts
Anahita Tafvizi, Snowflake's chief data analytics officer, said AI's workforce effects will vary sharply by role. "Some roles will dramatically amplify their influence and productivity, while others risk being left behind. The difference comes down to how effectively it's used."
For HR teams, this means rethinking workforce planning and skills development. The data suggests organisations should focus on upskilling mid-level and entry-level staff in roles where AI adoption is accelerating, rather than assuming wholesale job elimination.
Employee demand for AI tools is strong. Workers are willing to use tools that make sense for their roles, suggesting adoption barriers are behavioural, not technical.
Learn more about AI for Human Resources and how to prepare your workforce strategy, or explore the AI Learning Path for CHROs to understand AI's impact on talent management and recruitment.
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