Andrea Nahles predicts loss of 800,000 jobs due to AI — Der Spiegel
In Germany, the head of the Federal Employment Agency, Andrea Nahles, predicts that around 800,000 jobs could disappear over the next 15 years due to the use of artificial intelligence. At the same time, in her assessment, approximately the same number of new jobs could emerge in the country during this period.
Nahles said this in an interview with Handelsblatt, Der Spiegel reports. In her view, the largest cuts could affect business service providers as well as analytical positions in the insurance and banking sectors.
Investments in productivity
Nahles supported Germany’s further investment in artificial intelligence but stressed that it should increase productivity rather than be made solely because of the technology’s popularity. According to her, AI-driven changes in the labor market could be noticeable across many sectors.
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She also noted that difficulties in finding employment for young professionals with higher education cannot be explained solely by the spread of AI. The situation is also affected by weak economic conditions, she said. Occupations where opportunities for using AI are limited, including skilled trades, are showing relative resilience.
Worker shortage and attracting specialists
Despite possible job cuts, Germany is losing around 500,000 workers annually on a net basis due to demographic changes, Nahles said. She noted that net migration is currently at its lowest level in a long time and called for more active recruitment of qualified specialists from countries outside the European Union.
To achieve this, Nahles insists on creating a Work-and-Stay-Agentur, a centralized agency through which foreign specialists could digitally apply for residence permits, upload documents, and receive decisions. Employers could also help candidates with this procedure. In her view, such a system would make Germany more competitive in attracting personnel compared with other countries, including Canada.
