IMF says AI could affect 60% of jobs in advanced economies

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published October 12, 2026

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Artificial intelligence is becoming a meaningful source of economic momentum, but the same technology is forcing governments to prepare for one of the broadest labour-market adjustments in decades, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Speaking during the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok on Monday, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said heavy investment in AI infrastructure is helping keep global growth near 3%, even as automation and new digital tools begin reshaping the demand for workers.

The IMF estimates that roughly 60% of jobs in advanced economies are exposed to AI. Exposure, however, is not the same as displacement. About half of those jobs could become more productive as workers use AI alongside existing skills, while the remainder face a greater risk of reduced labour demand, wage pressure or automation of core tasks. Globally, the share of employment exposed to AI is estimated at about 40%.

The immediate concern is increasingly shifting toward how people enter the workforce. Policymakers at the Bangkok meetings highlighted signs that AI is reducing demand for some entry-level roles, particularly where routine analytical, administrative or digital tasks can be automated. That could force education systems and employers to rethink how young workers gain experience and build careers.

At the same time, AI could help economies overcome slower productivity and ageing populations. IMF modelling suggests advanced Asian economies could eventually gain between 0.5 and 1 percentage point of annual growth from AI adoption, while emerging and developing Asian economies could gain between 0.2 and 0.8 percentage point, depending on how quickly the technology spreads.

Those benefits are unlikely to be evenly shared. Economies with stronger digital infrastructure, higher-skilled workforces and easier access to capital are better positioned to adopt AI quickly, while slower adoption in lower-income countries could widen economic gaps between nations. Within countries, workers whose skills complement AI could gain more than those whose tasks are easier to automate.

The IMF has urged governments to respond with investment in digital infrastructure, education and retraining, alongside labour-market policies and social protections designed to help workers adjust as AI changes the mix of tasks and skills employers require.