Adapting to Change: AI and the Future of Jobs in Australia

The latest Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) Gen AI Capacity Study offers a detailed look at how artificial intelligence is expected to change Australia’s workforce over the coming decades. Its findings highlight both challenges and opportunities, with impacts varying widely depending on occupation, industry, and the skills of individual workers.

“Most jobs will continue to exist in some form, but AI will change the tasks they involve and the skills required to perform them.” - Jobs and Skills Australia

Which Jobs Are Most Exposed?

The report shows that AI will have the greatest effect on roles involving routine, repeatable tasks. Positions such as bookkeeping, basic data entry, marketing tasks like ad placement, and certain programming roles are more vulnerable to automation.

However, work that requires human presence, judgment, or interpersonal skills is less likely to be replaced. This includes jobs in construction, hospitality, healthcare, public safety, government services and more. Even though these roles are largely hands-on, AI will still influence how tasks are carried out, making processes more efficient as well as introducing new responsibilities for workers.

How AI is changing work

According to JSA, the effects of AI adoption will be gradual but significant:

• 2020s - 2030s: Early adoption of AI may slow job growth in some sectors, particularly where automation can replace routine work. Workers in affected roles will need to adapt to remain employable.
• 2040s and beyond: New industries and roles could emerge as AI creates opportunities that don’t exist today. Success will depend on how well workers, employers, and policymakers respond to changes now.

Skills AI Can’t Replace

There are some things only humans can do. Focusing on these traits can help you adapt to the evolving workplace:

• Critical thinking: Making sense of complex situations and deciding what to do next.
• Flexibility: Taking on new tools, technologies, and ways of working.
• Creativity and people skills: Excelling in teamwork, communication, and creative problem-solving - areas where humans outperform machines.

What This Means for Workers

AI is not a distant threat - it’s already shaping the way Australians work. The reality is mixed:

• Some jobs will shrink or disappear.
• Many jobs will be transformed.
• Others will grow, particularly those that rely on human judgment, problem-solving, and creativity.

Workers who proactively develop transferable skills and remain open to new opportunities will be in the best position to succeed.

Learning and Preparing for Change

Access to relevant courses and training can help workers adapt as AI reshapes the workforce.

• Digital literacy: Understanding AI tools, software, and platforms relevant to your job.
• Data interpretation: Being able to read, analyse, and make decisions based on AI-generated insights.
• Prompting and guiding AI: Knowing how to ask the right questions and direct AI to produce useful outputs.
• Human judgement and oversight: Evaluating AI suggestions and ensuring decisions are ethical, accurate, and contextually appropriate.

By staying flexible, learning new tools, and using creativity and judgment, workers can not only keep up but also take advantage of new opportunities. Success will come to those who focus on what humans do best and find ways to work alongside AI.