Global Scans · Work · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: AI will replace 16% of jobs over the next decade. A billion people will enter the job market over the next ten years.

• [New] If last year was the year of AI-driven efficiency and cost-cutting, in 2026 will be one of AI-driven growth, with CEOs seeking to derive value and profit from implementation versus just workforce reduction. Fortune
• [New] AI could significantly impact nearly 40% of jobs worldwide, presenting both opportunities and risks for income growth and inequality. AdvisorAnalyst.com
• [New] AI has the potential to double U.S. labour productivity growth, increasing it by approximately 1.8% if widespread adoption occurs. AdvisorAnalyst.com
• [New] Four in 10 Americans expect AI to impact their employment status in 2026, either by causing them to change roles within their company or costing them their job. Cision PR Newswire
• [New] Three-quarters of respondents plan on learning new AI skills in 2026; 40% are doing so to use in their current role and 36% want to make themselves more attractive for new opportunities. Cision PR Newswire
• [New] AI could replace half of all white-collar workers. Cornerstone Investments
• [New] That AI is already disrupting labor markets worldwide by shifting demand for skills employers seek, and might even boost earnings for some workers by improving productivity. Fortune
• [New] AI could worsen societal inequality and unemployment if left unchecked, calling for government intervention to ensure everyone benefits from AI development. Built In
• [New] Given Anthropic's steady advances and Trump's pro-AI policies, AI may indeed go from being America's number one stressor to being a very real existential threat that all workers must confront. Built In
• [New] Insurance executives plan to increase spending on artificial intelligence in 2026 despite facing critical skills shortages that threaten their ability to scale the technology. Insurance Business
• [New] Over a third of workers say they worry their jobs could disappear within the next five years due to AI, underscoring uncertainty about how automation and task redesign will affect individual roles. CFO.com
• [New] Economic pressure, AI adoption and changing work models are pushing human capital risk deeper into the CFO agenda. CFO.com
• [New] Across the countries where Deloitte NSE operates, the transition to net-zero offers significant economic opportunities, driving innovation and job creation through the development of new products, technologies, and services. Deloitte United Kingdom
• [New] 2026 will be a year of disruption at work, driven by a slowing economy, rising unemployment and rapid adoption of AI across roles. CareerWise
• [New] Future Skills Centre highlights that soft skills are becoming the most in-demand and many jobs in the current and future landscape will require the mastery of several skills. CareerWise
• [New] NHBC has said it will continue its roll-out of 12 multi-skills training hubs across the UK, and will launch a new timber frame curriculum in 2026. Liz Male Consulting
• [New] In 2026, more employees than ever will have the legal right to take time away from work to care for themselves and their loved ones. JD Supra
• [New] AI will follow past technological changes and add net jobs and growth. Democracy Journal
• [New] Today, the push for a speed-at-all-costs AI policy has led major AI companies and the White House to dismiss anything that might serve as an anti-surge policy for AI job loss as undermining the United States in its race with China for AI dominance. Democracy Journal
• [New] The current trend of reshoring for product safety and innovation, rising labour costs overseas, and disruptions to global supply chains may increasingly incentivize greater investment in domestic capabilities. Precedence Research
• [New] By 2027, nearly 20% of the engineering workforce will have retired. Bizclik Media Ltd
• [New] The multi-year collaboration, which will provide students, faculty and researchers with Google Cloud's AI-optimized tech stack and high-performance computing power, is designed to advance AI-enabled education, accelerate AI innovation and expand AI workforce development. Campus Technology
• [New] As AI continues to evolve, tools like the Remote Labour Index will be essential for distinguishing between genuine progress and media hype, ensuring that the discussion about the future of work is based on evidence rather than assumptions. Sada News Agency

Last updated: 26 January 2026