Study finds AI won’t solve skills shortage in Switzerland
Artificial intelligence is transforming the Swiss labour market, but it is unlikely to resolve the skills shortage caused by demographic trends. Human workers remain in demand in sectors such as care, the skilled trades and transport, as a study by Deloitte Switzerland shows.
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Study finds AI won’t solve skills shortage in Switzerland
According to the study published on Thursday, AI could make tasks in the areas of documentation, planning, administration and information retrieval easier. In software and marketing roles, for example, job losses cannot be ruled out.
However, current AI systems are unlikely, for the foreseeable future, to be able to care for the elderly or the sick, teach children or carry out manual labour. The labour shortage is therefore likely to persist – and may even worsen – in people-oriented, service-oriented and practice-oriented professions, despite the advent of AI.
+ How artificial intelligence is shaping the Swiss job market
This points to a potential divide: “In Switzerland, many vacancies in occupations where AI can hardly take over the core tasks are likely to remain unfilled, while in other, often knowledge-intensive office-based roles, AI will automate tasks and create new requirements,” say the study’s authors.
Focus on vocational training and career changes
According to the study, businesses, educational institutions and policymakers should therefore strengthen vocational training and, in professions such as care, hospitality, logistics and the skilled trades, both facilitate career changes and create attractive career paths. Furthermore, AI is expected to relieve employees in occupations facing skills shortages of repetitive tasks, while in office and knowledge-based occupations, further training and new job profiles will be required.
For the study, Deloitte combined demographic and occupational data from Switzerland with international data on the use and potential applications of AI. A total of 279 occupations were examined.
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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
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