‘Slow-moving tsunami’ – IMF warns AI could hit 60 per cent of jobs in advanced economies

AI s impact on employment is a slow-moving tsunami, but a tsunami nonetheless , the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned, as the technology threatens to reshape six in ten jobs across advanced economies. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, said AI could affect 40 per cent of jobs worldwide, rising to 60 per cent in wealthier countries, with younger workers particularly vulnerable as employers automate entry-level tasks. Speaking at the IMF’s annual meetings in Bangkok, Georgieva warned that the technology could eliminate some jobs, reduce the value of others and change the skills required across entire industries. She said the impact was already becoming visible, with routine and repetitive jobs shrinking while demand for workers with AI skills increased. An IMF study of the US labour market found that 10 per cent of jobs now require higher-level AI skills, which typically command better pay. However, Georgieva warned that employment