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Artificial Intelligence Jobs Crash Hasn’t Happened in Australia, AI and Employment in Australia Report Says

Australian Financial Review

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Date Published
8 July 2026
Priority Score
2
Australian
Yes
Created
9 July 2026, 12:00 am

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Description

The Albanese government’s first AI and employment in Australia report found there was little evidence of “large AI-driven job loss”.

Summary

The Australian Government’s inaugural 'AI and Employment in Australia' report indicates that widespread job displacement from generative AI has not yet manifested in the domestic labor market. While occupations highly exposed to AI automation are growing at a slower rate (5.6%) compared to less exposed roles like skilled trades (9.5%), the catastrophic 'job apocalypse' anticipated by some critics remains absent. These findings provide a data-driven baseline for Australian policymakers to evaluate the socio-economic impacts of frontier AI deployment and refine governance frameworks surrounding labor market transitions. The report suggests that while immediate existential employment risks are low, the structural shift in hiring patterns confirms that AI is actively reshaping the economic landscape.

Body

PoliticsFederalAIPrint articleRonald MizenPolitical correspondentJul 8, 2026 – 11.44amJobs exposed to automation by generative artificial intelligence are growing more slowly than other occupations, but there is no evidence of the broader labour market upheaval many feared the technology would spark.The Albanese government’s first AI and employment in Australia report, released on Wednesday, found jobs in AI-exposed professions grew by 5.6 per cent between November 2022 – when OpenAI’s ChatGPT was first released – and February 2026. This is compared with 9.5 per cent in the least exposed jobs such as skilled trades.Loading...SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginLicense articleRead MoreAIEmploymentJobsGig economyFetching latest articles