The rise of AI is understandably unsettling for workers. But new research from the McKinsey Global Institute shows its impact is far more complicated—and far less alarming—than the headlines imply. According to the study, existing technologies could automate tasks that make up more than half of U.S. work hours today. It’s a big number, but it does not translate into a wholesale disappearance of jobs. Instead, most of the change will come from people doing different things in their workday. The labor force won’t become obsolete. But it will need to lean into different skills—and fast.
To understand how human work is likely to evolve, McKinsey mapped thousands of workplace skills commonly found in job postings to the tasks for which they’re typically used. More than 70% of the skills employers look for today are relevant to both automatable and non-automatable work, while another 12% remain entirely human (for now). In short, the vast majority of human abilities endure in the age of AI; what changes is where they are used and how people combine them with intelligent tools. As AI absorbs more chores like sifting information, organizing data and drafting basic content, workers will have to lean more heavily on the capabilities machines do not yet offer: judgment, relationship-building, critical thinking and empathy.
AI tools aren’t eliminating the need for human skills, but they are changing what people need to be good at.
These shifts in work carry enormous economic promise. By our estimates, AI agents and robots could generate nearly $3 trillion in annual value for the U.S. economy by 2030. Realizing this potential, however, demands bold leadership choices.
Redesign Workflows so Humans and AI Create Value Together
AI adoption is still in its early stages. Many businesses have started by simply bolting new tools onto workflows built for an older era. It’s no surprise that fewer than 40% report measurable profit gains. Technology alone won’t deliver productivity; how we work with technology has to change. That means redesigning processes around AI, so that people, AI agents and robots operate together as an integrated system rather than disconnected parts.
How can firms do this?
First, identify workflows where large parts of current roles can be reimagined and define how humans will contribute inside those redesigned processes. AI agents can take on many routine digital, information and communication tasks, and robots can perform many physical ones. But people remain essential for what machines still struggle with: nuanced judgment, creativity, situational awareness and social-emotional skills. In customer service, for example, AI agents can handle routine inquiries, while people resolve complex or sensitive issues. In healthcare, AI can draft clinical documentation or flag anomalies on scans, but clinicians still interpret results, apply context and treat patients. Getting the balance right requires a culture of experimentation and learning.
Build the Skills and Leadership Needed to Thrive With AI
Second, pinpoint the skills that workers, and managers in particular, will need to collaborate effectively with AI. These include technical fluency as well as capabilities specific to human-AI interaction: framing problems, overseeing AI outputs, interpreting results, managing exceptions and knowing when to escalate decisions. Success should be measured by how well people and AI create value together, not by the volume of tools deployed.
Third, build a skills-mapping and reskilling plan that helps workers move into the roles of the future. That means reinforcing the human capabilities that matter most, creating pathways into adjacent roles and investing in training that helps people apply their strengths in new contexts. Updating job specifications is not enough; workers need coaching and support to build the capabilities that will carry them forward.
AI tools might substitute some of what people do, but more fundamentally, they’re changing what people need to be good at. Demand is surging for workers who are adept at working with AI tools. Job postings requiring AI fluency have risen nearly sevenfold in just two years, faster than that for any other skill. That hints at much bigger changes ahead.
There’s no doubt that some jobs will shrink in the AI age. Others will expand or change, and new ones will emerge. The transition will be challenging for workers and businesses. But organizations that help people build the skills needed to work with AI will capture far more value than those that simply deploy new tools.AI will transform tasks. But human work will endure. The companies that succeed will invest in their people as a core asset, not just in technology.
This article originally appeared in The Wall Street Journal.