There is no question that for many Europeans, work will look different in the coming years. We’ve seen this “ripple effect” with every major technology shift, from computers to the Internet. And while research suggests that far more jobs will be introduced rather than lost, we can’t ignore that there will be disruption – we must prepare for it.
At one end of the spectrum, we know that new technologies like AI have the potential to birth industries and create millions of jobs. Twenty years ago, the concept of a professional YouTube Creator didn’t exist: today, there are upwards of 60 million around the world.
Across Europe, there are estimates that 61% of jobs will be augmented by generative AI – while up to 7% of jobs will make a long-term transition. Those roles, which will be augmented or transition, are the ones we must focus on, ensuring that AI expands, rather than automates, human potential.
In Europe, the stakes are too high to ignore. Broad AI adoption holds the potential to boost the region’s GDP by €1.2 trillion. That’s an 8% increase over the next decade. We’ve already seen promising AI stories emerging across the continent. Spanish startup Idoven is using AI to detect heart disease earlier, while Roly’s in the UK is reimagining fudge recipes and Maria Teresa Pellegrino has used AI to modernize marketing materials for her family’s 100 year old Italian olive oil businesses.
