Amid widespread concerns that artificial intelligence will eliminate human jobs, data from Australia reveals that AI is actually increasing employment demand.
According to a report from Australia's Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), only 4% of occupations currently face high risk of automation. The majority of jobs are more likely to see AI augmenting and assisting tasks rather than replacing workers entirely. Experts suggest workers should focus on building AI capabilities within their current roles rather than worrying about job losses.
The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) recently cited PwC's 2025 AI Jobs Barometer, noting that job postings requiring AI-related skills in Australia have surged over the past decade. Between 2020 and 2021, demand for AI capabilities nearly doubled.
This indicates AI was already transforming hiring standards across industries before generative AI became mainstream. However, the growth rate has moderated somewhat since 2021. KOTRA stated, "Contrary to the simplistic notion that AI reduces jobs, actual hiring data shows long-term expansion in demand for workers with AI capabilities."
An Australian recruiting industry executive said, "The change we're seeing in the field isn't so much about fewer jobs, but rather rapidly shifting skill requirements in the hiring process. Companies are adjusting their recruitment strategies to favor candidates who can utilize AI tools, rather than reducing headcount."
The executive added, "We're seeing more cases where evaluation and compensation differ based on AI experience, even for identical positions."
KOTRA analyzed that the key issue in the AI-era labor market lies in "transition and redeployment" rather than "job elimination." The critical factor is how quickly workers can adapt to AI-driven changes in their work, not the net increase or decrease in total jobs.
KOTRA projected, "Even within the same occupation, internal disparities in productivity, performance reviews, promotions, and compensation based on AI capabilities may widen first." However, the agency cautioned, "If gaps exist in AI skills, digital access, and training opportunities, AI proliferation could increase employment instability." It emphasized, "Rather than searching for jobs that AI cannot replace, it is important to analyze your own work at the task level and build capabilities to utilize AI as a work tool."