The future of work as we know it is hanging by a thread—at least, that’s what many tech leaders consistently say. Elon Musk predicts AI will replace all jobs in less than 20 years. Bill Gates says even those who train to use AI tools may not be safe from its claws. And then there’s Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski, who is warning workers that “tech bros” are sugarcoating just how badly it’s about to impact jobs.
But according to one LinkedIn exec, that’s simply not what the data is showing.
With hundreds of millions of workers hunting for jobs and employers posting open roles in real time, LinkedIn acts as one of the clearest barometers of what’s actually happening on the ground—and its managing director for EMEA, Sue Duke, is not buying the AI apocalypse narrative.
“That’s not what we’re seeing,” Duke revealed at the Fortune CEO Forum at The Shard in London. When asked about an AI-induced hiring slowdown she insisted that the opposite is actually true.
“What we’re seeing is that organizations who are adopting and integrating this technology, they’re actually going out and hiring more people to really take advantage of this technology,” Duke explained.
“They’re going out and looking for more business development people, more technologically savvy people, and more salespeople as they realize the business opportunities, the innovation possibilities, and ultimately the growth possibilities of this technology.”
For the millions of job-seeking Gen Zers—who keep being told that entry-level jobs are about to get swallowed by AI and that a youth unemployment crisis is well underway—the news will be a welcome surprise.
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For those looking to make the most of the job market’s shift, Duke says there are two key areas to upskill in.
The first, no surprise, is AI skills. Whether that’s literacy, tooling, prompt-writing, or more technical capabilities, “we continue to see those AI skills being red, red hot in the labor market,” she said.
With companies racing to integrate automation into products and workflows, that demand isn’t cooling anytime soon—no matter what industry you’re looking to work in. “We see a huge demand for those skills across the board, economy-wide, across all sectors, and tons of companies looking for those,” Duke added.
As AI takes over many administrative tasks, it’s putting the spotlight on job functions that bots can’t do. “Those unique human skills,” Duke said, are the second area of focus for employers. “They remain rock solid, constant at the heart of hiring desires and demands out there. They’re not going away either.”
She called out communication, team building, and problem-solving as some of those human skills that will stand the test of time: “They’re the ones to invest in.”
And ultimately, the skill employers are zeroing in on most isn’t technical at all—it’s adaptability. Bosses know the tools will change faster than job titles. What they want is someone who can change with them.
“The most important thing for job seekers to think about is the mindset that you’re also bringing to the table,” Duke concluded.
“What employers are really looking for is that growth mindset and understanding that this technology is moving very, very quickly, and we need adaptability. Adaptability is right at the top of those most in-demand skills, so making sure you’re bringing that mindset, bringing that agility with you, that’s going to be hugely important.”