Employees need to be trained now to use AI and other disruptive technologies

According to the latest research by the World Economic Forum, the impact of AI and other disruptive technologies on jobs could be net positive over the next five years—but only if the digital skills of a significant proportion of the existing workforce are adapted to changing needs. According to IVSZ, concrete steps must be taken now to develop the digital skills of Hungarian employees, as failing to do so could place Hungary at a serious competitive disadvantage even in the short term.

The adoption of new technologies—including artificial intelligence, big data and cloud services—as well as sustainability initiatives are expected to bring about structural changes in the labour market within just a few years, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report.

Technological development, the increased use of new and disruptive technologies, and greater digital access are expected to support job growth at more than half of the companies surveyed. By contrast, job roles may be transformed at one fifth of companies as a result. The expected labour market effects vary by region and sector, but the number of jobs for e-commerce, digital marketing and digital transformation specialists, for example, could increase by 25–35% over the next five years. At the same time, demand for cashiers, secretaries, accounting clerks and payroll administrators is expected to fall by a similar proportion by 2027.

According to the study’s findings, the impact of different technologies on employment could, under optimal circumstances, be net positive over the next five years, based on the expectations of the companies surveyed by the World Economic Forum.

The largest number of new jobs is expected to be created in big data analytics, technologies related to climate change and environmental management, and encryption and cybersecurity. Among the companies surveyed, robotics was the only area expected to have a directly job-reducing effect.

However, six out of ten employees will need retraining before 2027 in order to continue working in a new position. One of the most important future skills will be analytical thinking, followed by creative thinking and the use of artificial intelligence and big data solutions. Two thirds of companies expect their investments in training to pay for themselves within as little as one year, for example through greater mobility between employee roles, increased employee satisfaction or improved productivity.

Based on the responses received from companies, machines or algorithms currently perform approximately 34% of business tasks, while people continue to perform 66%. By 2027, automation is expected to account for 47% of these tasks, primarily as a result of the broader adoption of generative AI and large language models.

Immediate employee retraining is unavoidable

Although the findings of the World Economic Forum survey are optimistic, the conclusions above clearly show that Hungarian companies must also keep pace with the adoption of AI and other disruptive technologies. IVSZ therefore believes that training the current workforce is unavoidable if Hungary is to avoid falling irreversibly behind.

“We must take these steps now, otherwise we will be unable to benefit from the efficiency gains offered by advanced technologies. Ensuring that employees have the right skills is in the shared interest of the government, employers and employees, and everyone has a responsibility to contribute to progress in this area. We do not consider the alarmist claims about job losses that frequently accompany discussions about AI to be either helpful or motivating in this process. Our aim is to draw people’s attention to the fact that they must prepare for different types of work and acquire different skills in order to succeed in the workplaces of the future,” said Krisztina Tajthy, Secretary General of IVSZ, commenting on the implications of the World Economic Forum’s research for Hungary.

Retraining and upskilling employees is also essential because new professions are now emerging—such as deep machine learning specialists, fintech engineers and data warehouse experts—that either did not previously exist or were not previously required in large numbers. The Hungarian labour market already faces a significant shortage of workers with digital skills, which is one of the greatest barriers to the development of the digital economy.

In its manifesto entitled Collaboration for a Digital Hungary, IVSZ has developed a comprehensive package of proposals addressing, among other issues, how education and training should be transformed, how young people can be encouraged to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and how employees and workers can be motivated to participate in retraining.