A surge in AI-related hiring is colliding with worker skepticism, as demand for AI agent skills explodes, while a sizable share of employees believe the technology will have little impact on their day-to-day jobs.
A new global study from the HR firm Randstad analyzed responses from more than 27,000 workers and 1,225 employers across 35 markets, alongside secondary analysis of more than 3 million job postings worldwide.
The research shows job vacancies requiring “AI agent” skills have jumped 1,587%, signaling rapid employer adoption. Yet 21% of workers surveyed say they do not expect AI to affect their work at all, highlighting a widening perception gap between organizations and employees.
Randstad’s data points to mounting economic pressure on workers at the same time AI investment accelerates. Forty percent of talent say they have taken on a second job to cope with rising living costs, while 36% have increased or plan to increase working hours in their current roles. Among full-time workers, 27% say they would prefer a full-time role paired with a side hustle, a preference also shared by 20% of part-time workers.
On the employer side, AI investment is moving quickly. Sixty-three percent of employers report investing in AI over the past 12 months, and 34% of workers say their company’s overall AI spending has increased. The shift is becoming visible to employees, with 59% saying more organizations now encourage the use of AI tools. Confidence appears to be rising as well, with 69% of workers saying they feel capable of using the latest technology.
Despite that momentum, expectations remain mismatched. Nearly half of office workers surveyed, 47%, believe AI will benefit companies more than employees. The disconnect suggests that while AI is being embedded into workflows and hiring criteria, many workers do not yet see a direct link between AI adoption and improvements to their own roles, security or earnings.
Says Randstad,
“Talent are recalibrating what they expect from work as they rise to the challenge of an increasingly volatile world. As employers look to the future with optimism, they need to reflect talent’s shifting focus in their recruitment and retention strategies to maintain a motivated workforce and support workers as they augment their skills through AI, while alleviating fears of job displacement.”
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