Four Futures for Jobs in the New Economy: AI and Talent in 2030

As artificial intelligence (AI) moves from experimentation to full integration, its impact on jobs, business models, and talent pipelines remains uncertain. The World Economic Forum’s latest white paper, Four Futures for Jobs in the New Economy: AI and Talent in 2030, explores these potential shifts and offers guidance for businesses navigating the new economy.

According to the report, global business executives hold differing views on AI’s effect on employment: 54% expect job displacement, 24% foresee new roles emerging, 45% anticipate higher profit margins, but only 12% expect wages to rise. The paper emphasizes that human capital strategies and early investments will play a decisive role in determining which organizations thrive.

The report outlines four scenarios for 2030:

1. Supercharged Progress – Rapid AI breakthroughs drive productivity and innovation, creating new jobs while displacing many existing roles.

2. The Age of Displacement – AI advances faster than workforce adaptation, leading to social and economic instability.

3. Co-Pilot Economy – Gradual AI integration complements human skills, fostering collaborative workplaces and incremental transformation.

4. Stalled Progress – AI adoption is limited by skill gaps, leading to uneven growth and rising inequality.

The paper also identifies “no-regret” strategies for businesses, including investing in data governance, aligning technology and talent strategies, and fostering human–AI collaboration.

Read the full report here