The AI fever is real, and as the world changes rapidly, so too does the artificial intelligence fever.
The AI push is gripping almost every sector.
Randstad research published on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 shows that younger workers are most concerned about AI impacting their jobs.
A new survey reveals fear and anxiety about job uncertainty among young employees.
A recent survey found that as companies increasingly rely on AI chatbots and automation, four out of five workers believe that artificial intelligence will impact their daily work at work, with Gen Z particularly concerned.
Additionally, job openings requiring “AI agent” skills have surged by 1,587%, Randstad said in its annual “Work Monitor” report, and survey data suggests that AI and automation are increasingly displacing low-complexity transactional roles.
Randstad, one of the world’s largest recruitment agencies, surveyed 27,000 workers and 1,225 employers for the report, covering more than 3 million job postings across 35 markets.
Why is it important?
The labor market is under enormous pressure as companies around the world ramp up layoffs.
AI-focused technology companies are beginning to replace jobs with automation, even as most companies are still waiting to see tangible benefits from the extraordinary investment boom in AI that will shape the business world for years to come.
“What we generally see among employees is that they are enthusiastic about AI… but they may also be skeptical in the sense that this is what companies always want to do, which is to save costs and improve efficiency,” said Sander van ‘t Noordende, CEO of Randstad.
“Gen Z is the most concerned generation, while baby boomers show higher confidence and are the least worried about the impact of AI and their ability to adapt,” the study says.
fear escalates
Data shows that nearly half of workers interviewed are concerned that this nascent technology will benefit companies more than workers.
There are also differences in how employers and workers view performance.
The report found that while around 95% of employers surveyed expected growth this year, only 51% of employees shared this optimistic view.
Well, that may be true to some extent, but there are still very few creative jobs or manual skills that can’t be replaced by AI, and Gen Z is also starting to switch professions in response to new fears.
