AI and Digital Technologies Are Reshaping Global Jobs, IMF Says
Workers across the world are under growing pressure to acquire new skills as artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies rapidly transform labour markets, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In a blog post, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said new IMF research shows that technological change is now affecting a wide range of occupations, not just factory work or back-office roles.
The analysis, which examined millions of online job vacancies across advanced and emerging economies, highlights how employability is increasingly tied to continuous learning and reskilling.
New Skills Now Required in Millions of Job Postings
According to the IMF, one in 10 job postings in advanced economies and one in 20 in emerging market economies now require at least one new skill.
The findings indicate that the demand for new capabilities is becoming a defining feature of modern labour markets, as digital tools and AI applications spread across industries.
“For workers, finding or keeping a job will increasingly depend on the ability to update skills or learn new ones,” Georgieva said.
Employers Paying More for Workers With Emerging Skills
The IMF’s research also found that employers are willing to pay wage premiums for workers who possess in-demand, emerging skills.
In the United Kingdom and the United States:
- Jobs requiring at least one new skill offer wages about 3% higher
- Roles demanding four or more new skills pay up to 15% more in the UK and 8.5% more in the US
These wage gains reflect the growing competition among employers for workers able to adapt to fast-changing technological demands.
Uneven Impact Across Skill Levels
Despite higher pay for some workers, the IMF warned that the employment effects of technological change are uneven.
High-skill and low-skill workers appear to benefit the most, while middle-skill jobs, such as routine administrative and office roles, are increasingly under pressure.
The impact of AI-specific skills is particularly complex. Although AI-related roles attract higher wages, they have not yet driven overall job growth.
In regions with strong demand for AI skills, employment in AI-vulnerable occupations was 3.6% lower after five years compared with regions where demand was weaker.
Young Workers Face Greater Risk
Georgieva noted that these trends pose significant challenges for young people, as entry-level roles are often more exposed to automation and AI-driven disruption.
According to the IMF, professional, technical, and managerial roles account for most of the demand for new skills, with information technology alone responsible for more than half of total new-skill requirements.
Sector-Specific Skills on the Rise
The IMF also identified rising demand for sector-specific digital skills:
- Healthcare is seeing an increased need for telecare and digital health expertise
- Marketing roles increasingly require social media and digital analytics skills
Without targeted policy responses, the Fund warned, AI-driven change could widen inequality and deepen labour market anxieties.
IMF Calls for Proactive Policy Action
With nearly 40% of global jobs exposed to AI-related transformation, the IMF said concerns about job displacement and declining opportunities for certain groups are becoming more pronounced.
“This underscores the need for proactive and comprehensive policymaking that prepares the labour force for the future of work and ensures the gains from AI are broadly shared,” the IMF said.
To support policymakers, Georgieva revealed that the IMF has developed a Skill Imbalance Index, which compares future demand for new skills with the current supply of workers who possess them.
As technological disruption accelerates, the Fund stressed that reskilling and upskilling will play a decisive role in shaping workers’ long-term employment prospects.
