The latest technological developments lead us to ask ourselves: will AI steal our jobs?

Fear and curiosity accompany every major technological breakthrough. From the steam engine to the Internet to artificial intelligence, history repeats itself. The question is always the same: “Will it be a threat to human labor?” The data indicates no, at least not in an absolute sense: rather than eliminating jobs, AI is reshaping professions and skills.

According to an Ipsos survey conducted in 31 countries, 57% of workers believe that artificial intelligence will change their jobs in the coming years, while 36% fear possible replacement. This is a clear sign of widespread “AI anxiety,” based on real fears rather than media hype.
In Italy, these concerns are not currently reflected in the main employment indicators. Istat data show an unemployment rate of 6.3% and slight growth in employment in June 2025. However, the perception of the risk of obsolescence remains high: about one-third of workers fear that their skills may quickly become irrelevant.

“Will AI replace us?”

According to the International Labor Organization, it is more accurate to speak of “exposure” rather than actual replacement: generative AI tends to transform jobs rather than eliminate them altogether. It automates phases and tasks within professions, without eliminating them entirely. The effect is more evident in high-income countries, where office and administrative activities carry greater weight.

In other words, many jobs remain, but they change form. The most repetitive tasks are automated, while complementary ones grow: managing digital systems, interpreting data, and integrating AI tools into the work routine.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 predicts that by 2030, about 22% of jobs will undergo significant changes, driven by AI, technology, demographics, and geopolitics.

The roles most at risk are administrative and repetitive ones: secretaries, data entry clerks, cashiers, accountants, and auditors. On the other hand, there is growing demand for professionals in AI, big data, software engineering, cybersecurity, and roles related to the digital economy.
Creative professions are not immune either: some automatable phases are being replaced, while tasks that require context, judgment, and relationships remain secure.

AI processes data, identifies patterns, and recombines them probabilistically. The result may seem new, but the originality is only statistical. Human creativity, on the other hand, breaks the mold: it interprets values, takes risks, and introduces discontinuity. The complementarity is clear: machines offer efficiency, humans provide meaning, judgment, and direction.

With the changing nature of work, the real challenge is not how many jobs there are, but what skills we possess. According to the World Economic Forum, in addition to technological literacy (AI, big data, networks, cybersecurity), soft skills are growing in value: critical thinking, resilience, flexibility, curiosity, continuous learning, leadership, and social influence. These are human skills that are becoming increasingly decisive as algorithms advance.

Talent alone is not enough: for skills to truly emerge, the right context is needed. Human creativity differs from artificial creativity because it breaks the mold, but divergent thinking, new questions, and innovative ideas need spaces that make them possible.

What makes the difference is psychological safety: being able to make mistakes, disagree, or expose oneself without fear of judgment or retaliation. It is not just a question of corporate culture, but a real driver of innovation. This is confirmed by the European Workforce Study 2025: among those who feel psychologically secure, 75% say they can develop new ideas and improve their work, compared to 33% of those who do not feel protected.

In a rapidly changing labor market, the main challenge is continuous updating. Without constant investment in training and retraining, there is a risk of widening the gap between those who know how to use AI and those who are left behind.

With targeted policies, however, the revolution can become an opportunity for growth and redistribution of skills. Businesses, schools, and institutions must work together to update professions and, at the same time, develop the skills that bring them to life.

Will AI steal our jobs?

Not exactly. Some jobs will disappear, many will change, and others will be created. The real challenge is how we will do them.

The risk today is the obsolescence of skills: without new technological and human tools, we cannot create value. The future will be played out on two fronts: AI literacy and human skills. The former allows us to dialogue with algorithms, the latter to guide their choices.

And we need a context that makes this possible: psychological security to experiment, make mistakes, and propose new ideas. At stake is not only work, but the ability to make it truly meaningful tomorrow.