- Employment in call centers, software publishing, management consulting and advertising services has fallen sharply below trend across developed markets.
- Entry-level workers appear particularly exposed to the impact of AI adoption on employment.
- AI adoption is already widespread across developed economies, averaging roughly 15% to 20%.
Goldman Sachs signage on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Artificial intelligence is starting to weigh on labor market across major developed economies, with effects varying across industries and seniority levels
The Wall Street investment bank found in its research that industries with greater exposure to AI automation have generally seen slower job <a href="https://todaytrendnews7.com/nana-anns-massage-and-wellness-marks-grand-opening/” title=”Nana Ann’s Massage and Wellness marks grand opening”>openings growth since the second half of 2022, with the relationship particularly pronounced in Germany, Australia and the U.S
Goldman said in its report published Wednesday that employment in information and communication services, among the industries most exposed to AI, has slowed across nearly all major developed economies since 2022
However, employment in these industries remains near or above its long-run trend outside the U.S
Looking more closely at highly AI-exposed industries, Goldman found a similar, though generally more muted, pattern of employment headwinds across other developed markets
Employment in call centers, software publishing, management consulting and advertising has fallen sharply below its historical trend across developed markets, Goldman said
Call centers stand out in particular. Employment in the industry is now below trend in the U.S., 39% lower, Canada, down 33%, and Germany 27% below trend, according to the report. Goldman said the pattern indicates that AI-related employment pressures are already visible in industries where tools capable of automating work are available
Entry-level workers feel more pressure
The effects appear to be more pronounced for those looking to start their careers
Goldman analyzed employment growth across more than 800 occupations and found that AI-related headwinds were the strongest among entry-level workers. It also found an additional, though smaller, negative effect among occupations considered to have a high risk of displacement from AI
Across the broader labor market, a 10% occupational exposure to AI was associated with only a 0.1 percentage point drag on annual headcount growth in France, Canada and the U.S. But for entry-level workers, the impact ranged between more than 0.6 percentage point (Australia) and over 0.2 percentage point (U.S.)
Overall, the investment bank concluded that AI-related hiring pressures are clearly visible in employment data globally, but remain limited to a relatively narrow set of industries and workers
Where AI adoption is highest
The labor market impact comes as AI adoption is spreading across developed economies
Goldman combined 11 surveys measuring AI adoption across countries and found that major developed markets have adoption rates of roughly 15% to 20%
France, the U.S., the Netherlands and the U.K. are leading AI adoption, while Italy, Japan and New Zealand were among the developed economies at the lower end of adoption
Major emerging markets, meanwhile, had estimated adoption rates of between 10% and 15%
