The Great Reboot: How AI is Reshaping Jobs and Why It’s Time to Skill Up

The job market is facing a seismic shift as AI-driven automation picks up pace. It’s a disruptive force already transforming how companies hire, train, and operate. From boardrooms to classrooms, AI is reshaping job maps in real-time, and millions of roles may disappear unless workers adapt quickly.

At the heart of this transformation is a warning. According to AI leaders and analysts, up to 50% of entry-level white-collar roles could disappear in the next few years, all now vulnerable to intelligent systems that don’t sleep, complain, or take lunch breaks.

Media analyst Palki Sharma’s Vantage report cites the CEO of AI firm Anthropic, who predicts that roles from customer service reps to IT support analysts will be swept away. But what’s less obvious is who it affects most, and why the solution may lie in a radically new skillset. This article dives deep into Sharma’s analysis and explores how we can prepare for the AI-driven future of work.

Women on the Frontline of Automation

Sharma points out that while AI churns through data, “who’s left behind” are often the low-skill jobs, and many of those happen to be held by women.

Women in the workforce are indeed disproportionately exposed. A UN/ILO study finds that 9.6% of traditionally female jobs (often clerical or administrative roles) are vulnerable to AI automation, versus only 3.5% of men’s jobs. That 3:1 gap is echoed by Sharma’s analysis: “Women’s jobs are especially vulnerable, while new roles require different skills”. In other words, as machines handle more secretarial, support, and routine data tasks, women (who are over-represented in those fields) may feel the squeeze first. The flip side: jobs that remain will demand new technical and creative abilities.

Google’s AI Playbook: Augment, Not Eliminate

At the center of this AI storm, tech giants like Google are doubling down on upskilling and responsible AI adoption. Alphabet/Google CEO Sundar Pichai has repeatedly stressed that AI should augment human work rather than simply replace workers. He has convinced global audiences that AI will not trigger mass layoffs. In one statement, he assured workers that “AI will not lead to mass job losses,” and that instead, AI “advancements will create new opportunities and augment existing roles”. In other words, AI will be a catalyst for job transformation and creation, not a unilateral job killer.

The lesson for workers: broad adaptability and reskilling will pay off. Google’s strategy reflects this — the company is building tools to make AI useful to everyone (for example, rolling out AI-powered “Google Search” and apps to assist with daily tasks) with an eye toward empowering users.

Many new roles require different skills, think AI trainers, data analysts, and design thinkers, rather than traditional clerks or testers. Google even put its money where its mouth is: Sundar Pichai announced a $120 million investment fund to build AI education and training programs. Google’s “Grow with Google” initiative now offers specialised AI courses for business users and even educators (one program is “geared toward teachers”). This highlights that the tech industry expects workers (and schools) to get up to speed on AI tools and literacy if they want to stay relevant.

Changing Hiring Trends: The Boomerang Effect

The AI transition is also reshaping hiring practices. One notable trend Sharma highlights is “boomerang hiring” – companies rehiring former employees rather than recruiting strangers. In today’s cooler job market, familiarity is prized. By some estimates, almost 60% of companies now prefer boomerang hires, and in early 2025 about 35% of new hires were returning workers. The figure is even starker in tech: roughly 68% of recent tech hires were “boomerangs”, double the rate of a year earlier.

Why the comeback wave? Sharma explains that rehiring cuts costs and risks: it “reduces [the] cost of training; it lowers risk”. A former employee already knows the company’s systems and culture, so onboarding is faster. This is seen as a lifeline in industries like tech and media, where niche skills are hard to find. However, Sharma also cautions that over-reliance on boomerangs can backfire: too many rehires can create an “echo chamber”, hiring the same types of people and make it harder for diverse new talent to break in.

Sharma’s advice to job seekers is clear: never burn bridges. With so many people cycling in and out of roles, even a bad exit can come back to haunt you. As she bluntly puts it, when leaving a job, “do not slam the door behind you… because you may have to come back”. The old model of a straight, one-way career path is evolving into something more like a zigzag — and your past employer might well be your future one.

AI in the Classroom: The Next Literacy

The long-term play isn’t just workplace integration — it’s an educational overhaul.

Google is partnering with schools to embed AI literacy from the ground up. That includes training teachers to use generative tools ethically, helping students distinguish between collaboration and plagiarism, and equipping classrooms to prepare tomorrow’s workforce.

A useful concept here is the AI “token”. In large language models (like ChatGPT), a token is simply a piece of text (roughly a word or word fragment). Pichai’s team explained this during a recent talk to show AI’s scale. Google now handles on the order of hundreds of trillions of tokens per month, reflecting how embedded AI is in our tools. The key takeaway: AI is already everywhere, so literacy with it is as fundamental as reading or coding for the next generation.

Preparing for the Future: Skills and Opportunities

The disruption is real, but so is the opportunity. Experts agree: with the right skills, students and fresh graduates can thrive in this new world of work. Here's what matters most:

• Upskill continuously. Learn programming, data analysis, and AI basics through courses or degrees.
• Develop human-centric skills. Communication, creativity, leadership and problem-solving are harder for machines to replicate.
• Be adaptable and networked. Stay current on tech trends and maintain good relations with mentors and past employers (a “boomerang” job could come calling).
• Stay hopeful. Remember Pichai’s message: AI can augment your work and open new opportunities. Governments and companies are already investing in training (Google’s $120M fund, for example) to help this transition.

As Sharma puts it: The question isn’t whether AI is coming for your job, it’s whether you’re ready to run with it.

The IPSR Advantage: From Learner to AI Leader

The path forward is clear: learn AI and adjacent skills now. Courses related to AI, which include even AI ethics, are becoming must-haves. In short, the coming AI wave is powerful, but it’s also a chance to reinvent the workforce. Freshers and students who dive into AI coursework and skill-building today won’t just survive, they’ll help shape tomorrow’s economy. 

At IPSR, we’re not just observing this transformation; we’re helping shape it. Through our Data Science and AI Learning Track, learners can equip themselves with the most in-demand skills of the decade: machine learning, data analysis, coding and more.

Whether you're a student navigating career choices or a professional looking to pivot, IPSR’s AI Career Programs provide the mentorship, tools, and global exposure to succeed in tomorrow’s job market.

Explore the IPSR Data Science and AI Track and future-proof your career.