Businesses around the world are seeing major changes as AI becomes part of daily work. This weekly update looks at how companies are handling these shifts and what it means for workers.

Workers Feel More Confident Using AI

The Adecco Group, a big company that studies workers worldwide, released new research showing that AI is now the top force changing workplaces. This is bigger than worries about money problems or working from home. The study found that 71% of workers said nothing stops them from using AI, which is a massive change from 2024 when only 19% felt this confident. Denis Machuel, who leads the Adecco Group, said that technology alone is not enough - companies must also train their workers and keep them engaged.

What AI Does for Workers

More than three out of four employees say AI lets them do jobs they could not do before. Almost the same number report that AI has already changed the skills they need for their work. However, the study found something interesting: even though AI saves time, one-third of workers spend that extra time doing boring tasks. This shows that companies need to help workers use their time better and move to more important work.

In the United States, some companies are replacing workers with AI. Fiverr, an online job marketplace in Israel, said it will let go of 30% of its workers as it becomes an AI-first company. Salesforce, a company in San Francisco, cut 4,000 customer support jobs because AI bots could do similar work. However, a Federal Reserve Bank study found that most businesses are retraining workers instead of firing them. More than 45% of businesses plan to teach their employees how to use AI in the next six months.

The Big Surprise About Job Losses

A study by Yale University and the Brookings Institution brought surprising news about AI and jobs. The research showed that AI has not caused many job losses so far. Less than 5% of workers changed jobs after ChatGPT launched, which is actually less than when computers spread in the 1980s or when the internet became popular in the 1990s. The study found that job changes started in 2021, before ChatGPT even existed. This means other things might be causing job changes, not just AI.

However, experts warn that this could change in the future. One in five American workers now use AI at work, according to Pew Research Center. JPMorgan Chase, a big bank, thinks AI will play a major role in the next economic downturn. The World Economic Forum says that four new technologies - including AI, robots, energy systems, and sensor networks - will reshape jobs for almost 80% of workers worldwide.

What Skills Workers Need Now

Business leaders say that human judgment is the most important skill for the future. Katy George from Microsoft explained that workers need to learn judgment skills much earlier in their careers now. This means knowing how to delegate work to AI agents and checking that the quality stays good. Bijal Shah, who runs Guild education company, said workers need strong math skills and reading skills to succeed. She added that going deep on any subject matters more than just getting a degree.

The Adecco Group study found that future-ready workers - those learning new skills and adapting to technology - are doing much better. 37% of workers are future-ready in 2025, which is more than triple the 11% from last year. These workers get clearer goals and better career support from their employers. Companies are learning that workers who understand their purpose are much more likely to stay, with 99% planning to stay for the next year.

Trust and Privacy Concerns

While workers feel more confident using AI, privacy worries are growing. The Adecco Group found that 44% of workers worry about privacy. Workers like AI for training and automation, but they prefer human decisions for important career choices. Interestingly, managers trust AI agents more than entry-level workers do, showing that companies need better communication about AI. Workers who understand AI better and take charge of their skills trust AI more than those who do not.

Denis Machuel from the Adecco Group said that AI adoption is now required for businesses to succeed. He stressed that companies must invest in clear rules, ethical guidelines, and constant training to make AI work while keeping trust. The key message is that people must stay at the center of all AI strategies.

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