Central to the report is a unique dataset derived from an extensive survey of global employers. This year’s edition captures the perspectives of over 1,000 employers – representing more than 14 million workers across 22 industry clusters and 55 economies – providing unparalleled insights into the emerging jobs landscape for the 2025-2030 period.
Technological change, geoeconomic fragmentation, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts and the green transition – individually and in combination – are among the major drivers expected to shape and transform the global labour market by 2030.
Regarding macrotrends driving business transformation according to respondents, the report indicated the following technological changes:
- Robots and autonomous systems are expected to transform 58% of employers’ businesses
- Energy generation and storage technologies are expected to transform 41%
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and information processing technologies are expected to have the biggest impact – with 86% of survey respondents expecting these technologies to transform their business by 2030
While currently seen as less transformative than GenAI, robots and autonomous systems have seen steady growth of around 5-7% annually since 2020. In 2023, global average robot density reached 162 units per 10,000 employees, double the number measured seven years ago. Currently robot installations are heavily concentrated, with 80% of installations occurring in China, Japan, United States, the Republic of Korea, and Germany.
AI and big data top the list of fastest-growing skills, followed closely by networks and cybersecurity as well as technology literacy.
Analytical thinking remains the most soughtafter core skill among employers, with seven out of 10 companies considering it as essential in 2025. Complementing these technology-related skills, creative thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility, along with curiosity and lifelong learning, are also expected to continue to rise in importance over the 2025-2030 period.
Conversely, manual dexterity, endurance and precision stand out with notable net declines in skills demand, with 24% of respondents foreseeing a decrease in their importance.
Skill gaps are categorically considered the biggest barrier to business transformation by Future of Jobs Survey respondents, with 63% of employers identifying them as a major barrier over the 2025- 2030 period.
Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have become more prevalent, with 83% of employers reporting such an initiative in place, compared to 67% in 2023.
See the chart of Disruption to Skills 2025-2030 by economy on page 34 (including Canada) and the economic profile of Canada on page 124.
https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf
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