Australia’s business leaders are unusually upbeat about the economic outlook this year, with nearly 58% expressing strong confidence that revenue growth will improve over the next 12 months – well above the global average of 35% – according to the latest PwC 29th Global CEO Survey, released in January 2026. Yet beneath this optimism lies a clear acknowledgement that technological change, especially artificial intelligence, could reshape the Australian workforce in profound ways.

AI is now high on the agenda for Australian companies: 67% of CEOs plan to invest in emerging technologies over the coming year, but only 28% believe their current AI investment levels are sufficient to achieve their strategic goals; this suggests many firms are still at early stages of adoption.

One of the most striking areas of concern is how AI will affect employment; PwC’s survey indicates that a growing share of executives fear technological disruption will reduce jobs, particularly among junior staff. While senior leadership roles appear relatively insulated, more than half of business leaders surveyed expect fewer entry-level positions in the next three years as AI and automation take on routine tasks.

This isn’t just boardroom speculation. Separate research suggests a quarter of jobs across Australia face high automation risk, driven by advances in generative AI, robotic process automation and machine learning-based tools. These risks are particularly acute in sectors like retail, finance, and media, where routine cognitive tasks are more easily automated. By 2030, the skills required in many roles are projected to change substantially, pushing both individuals and firms to upskill and reskill at scale.

The anxiety around job displacement is real: a mid-2025 survey found that six-in-ten Australians are worried that generative AI could take their jobs – the highest level of concern reported globally. The same report flagged that some 670,000 roles could be automated by 2030 if current trends continue, while many businesses lack the strategy or talent to manage this shift.

Yet the picture is not uniformly negative. Australia’s Global AI Jobs Barometer analysis by PwC found that jobs in AI-exposed sectors have grown and that workers with AI skills command a wage premium. Industries most exposed to AI saw productivity jump nearly four-fold over recent years, indicating that AI adoption is boosting value per worker even as it changes the nature of work.

This dual reality, of disruption and opportunity, echoes global trends. At the World Economic Forum in 2026, international leaders warned that AI could affect more than half of all jobs in advanced economies, especially among young and entry-level workers. But they also stressed that thoughtful policy, investment in skills, and supportive workplace transitions could ensure the gains from AI are more broadly shared.

In Australia, the path forward likely lies in balancing confidence with preparation. CEOs recognise the need to compete globally by leveraging AI, but skills shortages and cautious investment levels are holding back full-scale transformation. Businesses that embrace reskilling, build stronger AI strategies, and align technology adoption with workforce planning stand the best chance of turning disruption into a driver of growth, and creating new kinds of jobs for the future.

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