AI’s Role in Job Growth and New Opportunities

As artificial intelligence (AI) evolves and integrates further into business operations, it is set to transform the workforce. While some repetitive roles may be replaced, the overall impact will be positive, with growing demand for high-skilled jobs and the creation of entirely new roles. 

Reports from Gartner, McKinsey, and the World Economic Forum highlight this net growth and offer insights into how businesses can position themselves to capitalise on these opportunities.

The future of work

AI will automate certain repetitive and routine tasks, but rather than focusing on job losses, it’s essential to look at the bigger picture—AI will augment the workforce, driving growth in tech-related roles. Demand for skilled workers will rise, particularly in fields where human expertise is vital for managing and guiding AI systems.

Gartner projects that AI will create 2.3 million new jobs by 2025 while displacing 1.8 million, resulting in a net positive impact on employment. Similarly, the World Economic Forum reports that businesses expect AI to generate more jobs in cybersecurity, data science, and AI management, reinforcing AI’s potential to boost job creation.

Existing roles seeing significant growth

According to McKinsey, many new jobs created due to AI will emerge in industries such as engineering, healthcare, and management, driven by increasing demand for advanced cognitive and technical skills. By 2030, McKinsey estimates a 23% in demand for STEM jobs, reflecting the importance of roles requiring advanced technical expertise.

Many existing roles are already experiencing increased demand due to AI and the growing reliance on data-driven business strategies. These roles involve areas where AI assists but cannot fully replace human expertise:

• Data scientists. Demand for data scientists is projected to grow by 36% by 2033, as more businesses require experts to interpret and apply insights from AI-generated data.
• Cybersecurity analysts. As more AI systems are being deployed, ensuring security is paramount. The cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 62% to meet current demands and protect against evolving threats .
• Machine learning engineers. AI systems need professionals to develop and maintain them. The demand for these engineers will continue to rise alongside AI adoption.
• AI-powered product managers. As businesses embrace AI, product managers who understand how to align AI technologies with business goals will become more essential.

The role of healthcare in AI-driven job growth

Healthcare is one of the sectors that will benefit most from AI-driven job growth. McKinsey predicts significant job growth in healthcare due to AI technologies enhancing diagnostics, patient care, and administrative efficiencies. By 2030, healthcare is expected to be the fastest-growing sector in terms of job creation, driven by AI’s application in personalised medicine, remote patient monitoring, and optimised healthcare services.

AI will enhance roles such as medical technicians, radiologists, and healthcare data analysts, enabling them to work more efficiently by analysing vast amounts of data and improving patient outcomes. This transformation will create new opportunities in AI-assisted healthcare, offering professionals the chance to work at the intersection of technology and patient care.

New careers shaped by AI

AI isn’t just transforming existing roles, it is also creating entirely new job categories that require both technical expertise and a deep understanding of how AI systems fits within broader business contexts:

• AI prompts engineers. As generative AI advances, specialists who can craft precise prompts will be essential for ensuring AI delivers meaningful results.
• AI quality analysts. New roles will focus on ensuring AI systems produce reliable, ethical, and accurate outputs by monitoring and guiding AI quality.
• Ethical AI consultants. As AI adoption increases, businesses will need experts to ensure responsible use, addressing ethical implications and mitigating biases.
• Synthetic data scientists. With the growing demand for training data, new roles will manage and create synthetic data, ensuring AI systems have the data they require.

McKinsey predicts that by 2030, 9% of the workforce will be in roles that do not exist today, directly created by the influence of AI.

Shaping tomorrow’s workforce with AI

The rise of AI presents a net positive impact on employment. While existing roles will evolve to meet the needs of an AI-driven world, entirely new jobs will also emerge, especially in fields like data science, cybersecurity, and AI ethics. This growth highlights AI’s role as a catalyst for job creation, driving demand for a more skilled, tech-savvy workforce.

At Outsourced, we recognise the immense opportunities AI brings. Our team is dedicated to helping businesses navigate these changes by providing skilled professionals in emerging roles, ensuring your company stays competitive in the future of work.