40 jobs AI will replace in the future, and 40 jobs it can’t, according to new Microsoft study
Artificial Intelligence isn’t just coming for our jobs – it’s already here, and a bombshell new report reveals roles on the chopping block - and what it can’t replace.
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Get ready, Australia: Artificial Intelligence isn’t just coming for our jobs – it’s already here, and a bombshell new report from Microsoft reveals exactly which roles are on the chopping block. This ‘hit list’ of the 40 most at-risk positions comes as widespread lay-offs sweep through key Australian industries, leaving a trail of concern.
The Microsoft data exposes how rapid AI development is creating dramatic ripples across the labour market, pushing humans out of the workforce, particularly in high-profile sectors like technology and banking.
Earlier this week, the alarm bells rang loudest in the financial sector. Commonwealth Bank announced dozens of call centre staff would be replaced with AI chatbots designed to handle customer inquiries. This swift move will see 45 jobs cut, sparking outrage from the Finance Sector Union, which demanded workers be retrained and rehired in new roles that leverage AI.
This shift at CommBank illustrates a broader trend identified in the Microsoft report: industries reliant on customer interaction, language and writing, sales, and analysis are expected to be among the hardest hit. These roles, by their very nature, are highly susceptible to AI-driven redundancy.
According to the Microsoft data, interpreters, historians, passenger attendants, sales representatives, writers, and authors are all on the chopping block.
The financial sector isn’t alone. Australian technology giant, Atlassian, recently axed 150 jobs via a recorded video from billionaire chief executive and co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes.
In a video titled “Restructuring the CSS Team: A Difficult Decision for Our Future,” Mr Cannon-Brookes informed employees cuts would be made as Atlassian improves its cloud platform and tools, reducing support needs – a function that will be partly taken over by AI.
Specialist recruitment job employment agency Hays managing director of technology and technical workforce solutions ANZ Adam Shapley said AI is the next “industrial revolution” and workers will need to “evolve alongside it”.
“It’s building digital literacy … to upskill – start learning to use AI because if you’re the person who can’t use AI in your role and you’ve got people who are using it to do their jobs more effectively. You’re going to be the first one to fall behind,” Mr Shapley said.
“Retraining is really essential and there’s a bandwidth for that. It might be retraining how to do your job using the technology available today that wasn’t there five years ago.
“I think that’s absolutely critical – so develop the literacy, use AI to help you do your role more effectively, be part of that evolution”.
However, many workers already possess innate human skills that will remain invaluable in the workplace.
Nursing assistants, trade workers, and specialty workers in a variety of sectors such as automotive glass installation are among the most secure careers amid the AI revolution.
Other roles least likely to be replaced by AI include phlebotomists, hazardous material removers, painters, and embalmers.
“The skills that a human needs to have to do that are around engagement, listening to people, providing a service. Those roles aren’t going to be removed … those skills are of value in many industries,” Mr Shapley said.
“It’s human interaction … it’s about good communication skills, but also if you’re able to show adaptability to learn new things.”
If workers embrace the revolution and leverage AI, they will be able to tap into new opportunities technology will create as well, said Mr Shapley.
“It’s a real revolution … it’s going to change a lot, but if you bury your head in the sand … that’s when it could be challenging. But there’ll be opportunities.”
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Originally published as 40 jobs AI will replace in the future, and 40 jobs it can’t, according to new Microsoft study
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