Issue 10
Viewpoint
early-career workers · United States
US payroll data shows young workers' jobs are most affected by AI
France 24 reports that US payroll data show young workers' jobs to be the most affected. The figures indicate fewer hires of 22–25-year-olds into AI-exposed occupations, while a UCLA Luskin study says job losses among graduates have not yet been proven.
Who is affected and how
- early-career professional
- Fewer entry-level openings are advertised in AI-exposed fields, so it is worth searching through several channels and internships.
- HR professional
- The longer-term talent-pipeline risk of curbing entry-level hiring should be quantified.
wages · United States
72% of employers say they will pay more for AI skills, but pay lags in practice
A survey finds 72% of employers say they will pay more for AI skills. Other reports say the number of AI job postings is rising, but companies are holding back pay, and there is a gap between the…
employeeAI skills can be taken into a pay request when backed by concrete results, because intent and practice diverge.job seekerFor AI positions, ask for the stated pay range and compare it.HR professionalThe pay structure must settle how AI skills are rewarded before talent goes elsewhere.layoffs · United StatesHubSpot cuts 660 jobs in AI-focused restructuring
HubSpot is cutting 660 jobs as part of an AI-centred restructuring. Nine sources reported the news on 6 October.
employeeAt tech and software firms, map which of your tasks may be targeted by restructuring, and document your AI-related skills.HR professionalFor AI-justified layoffs, prepare communications and decision documentation in advance.regulation · United StatesCalifornia requires human review of AI-based layoff decisions
On 30 September 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed California's workplace AI laws, including SB 947, which bars employers from leaving the final layoff decision solely to AI. The rules also restrict…
HR professionalHR teams should review which HR decisions rely on automated systems and build in a human review step, especially for layoffs.managerFor companies affected in California, an AI-justified layoff must be identified as such when announced, and the decision requires human approval.employeeIn California, a human must be accountable for any layoff decision.skills · globalWorkday: demand for basic AI skills fell 25%, while demand for AI-building skills rose 51%
Workday's analysis says demand for basic AI prompting skills fell 25%, while demand for skills needed to build AI rose 51%. The company's global workforce report says AI is rewriting jobs more than…
employeeUser-level AI literacy no longer sets a candidate apart, but deeper, building-oriented skills carry value.HR professionalThe training plan should expand from using AI toward AI integration and building.managerIn team AI training, it makes sense to move from the basics toward applying AI built into workflows.Hungary
surveyMicrosoft Work Trend Index: Hungary leads the Visegrád region and ranks 20th globally in AI usemanagerAI results depend on managerial support and culture, so start there, not with the tools.HR professionalWith high usage, culture and comfort with the transition are the bottleneck, and a targeted programme should address them.employeeAI use is widespread in Hungary, so basic knowledge is now expected.early-career professionalsHungarian graduates: AI cuts the bottom rung of the career ladder, rewriting the entry levelearly-career professionalStand out with internship and project references and responsible use of AI tools.HR professionalEntry-level roles' tasks need to be redesigned so that learning opportunities remain.managerIf AI takes over routine tasks, mentoring and learning roles must be deliberately provided for juniors.survey63% of Hungarian workers use AI, but company policy has fallen behindHR professionalWhere a policy is missing, rules on permitted tools and data handling must be drawn up immediately.SME ownerShadow AI use is a data protection and business risk, so a simple internal policy is needed.employeeEven without a policy, enter company data only into an approved tool.surveyAI can replace the work of half to two employees even at smaller companiesSME ownerAssess which tasks can free up capacity, and address the risks (data, accuracy) in advance.employeeAt small businesses, the role of tasks that AI can replace may shrink, while supervisory and customer-facing work remains.skillsGoogle and Codecool offer free AI training and certification to more than 3,000 HungariansemployeeA free certificate can be earned that shows AI knowledge on a CV.SME ownerEmployees of Hungarian companies can be trained for free, so cost-free upskilling can be put to use.HR professionalThe programme can be built into the internal development plan.forecastHungarian unemployment may stay above 5%, while the IMF says AI could affect 40% of jobsemployeeThe transformation is slow but wide-ranging, so skills development should not be put off.managerEmployment plans should be broken down by the tasks AI affects.surveyHungarian labour market shaped by European economy and AI, with skills shortage in telecomsHR professionalIn sectors with skills shortages, internal retraining can complement recruitment.managerWhen introducing AI agents, the skills gap is among the risks to consider.opinionHungarian analyses examine who is at risk from AI today and tomorrowemployeeIt is worth examining how much of your own work is repetitive and rule-based.opinionHungarian trade articles: HR staff may decide how AI adoption turns outHR professionalHR may take a leading role in managing the risks of AI adoption and in retraining.managerAI should be introduced gradually, with measurable goals.early-career professionalsHungarian graphic designers: profession not disappearing, but entry-level experience at riskearly-career professionalEarly-career creatives should prove themselves with an independent portfolio and an AI-assisted workflow.employeeGraphic design work is shifting toward AI tools, so skills in directing and developing ideas are becoming more valuable.regulationIMF recommends Hungary ease professional regulation and expand adult educationemployeeAdult education and digital skills development may be the next policy priority.HR professionalWorkforce retraining programmes should be aligned with the available adult education options.surveyFor Hungarian workers, stress, not AI, is the biggest problemHR professionalManaging workplace stress may be a higher priority than managing AI anxiety.managerAI adoption should not be layered on top of existing workloads.surveySlovak HR professionals on how AI is changing companies in SlovakiaHR professionalHR experience from a Central European neighbour offers a basis for comparison with Hungarian practice.
More key stories of the week
layoffs · global
FICO, HSBC and Norway's DNB announce AI-linked job cuts
FICO is cutting its workforce by 15% in an AI-driven restructuring, HSBC is planning significant job cuts in its UK wealth business, and Norway's DNB is laying off around 400 staff. A…
employeeIn finance and software roles, routine, well-defined tasks are the most exposed, so it is worth strengthening decision-making and client-facing skills.managerAlongside layoffs, present the retraining and redeployment plan, because communication affects the trust of the remaining team.HR professionalPrepare for the legal and communications handling of the headcount reduction, and for documenting the selection criteria for those affected.regulation · European UnionEU AI Office opens first probes into hiring and credit-scoring AI
According to an industry report, the EU AI Office has opened its first formal investigations into hiring and credit-scoring AI systems. The rules for high-risk systems under Annex III of the AI Act…
HR professionalHR should audit the recruitment software in use and request AI Act compliance documentation from vendors.SME ownerBefore using an external recruitment AI tool, small business owners should ask the vendor about its classification under the AI Act.recruitment · United StatesHackerRank's AI interviewer Chakra points to the future of hiring after 500,000 interviews
HackerRank's AI interviewer Chakra has conducted more than 500,000 interviews and raises questions about AI hiring compliance. AI interviews also run on the Mercor, micro1 and Braintrust platforms.
job seekerPrepare specifically for an AI interview: know what the system scores, and ask about the rules for retrying.HR professionalBefore introducing AI interviews, check the scoring logic, transparency and legal compliance.regulation · globalUnions and regulators demand human oversight of algorithmic workplace decisions
In British Columbia, a debate is under way over whether workers can bargain on AI use, and the AFL-CIO's professional employees department has published AI principles. According to Hungarian reports…
employeeCollective agreements and works-council consultations can be used to request that the conditions of AI use be set out.HR professionalBe prepared for unions to expect consultation and transparency before AI tools are introduced.layoffs · United StatesMore companies cut headcount as AI investment grows: Oracle, Flock Safety, Boston tech firms
According to a Reuters roundup, several companies are cutting staff while investing in AI. Oracle has launched another round of layoffs after positive quarterly results, Flock Safety is cutting…
employeeStrong company results do not protect against layoffs when investment shifts to AI infrastructure, so it is worth building a financial cushion and fresh references.job seekerProfessionals released by the affected companies will compete for AI-related roles.observation · globalAI scores every customer call and workers cannot see the rules, reports say
Reports say AI scores every customer call and workers cannot see the rules. There are also cases of AI evaluating employees, even for disciplinary or dismissal decisions, and monitoring is under way…
employeeYou have the right to ask for the evaluation criteria and a description of how your data is processed.HR professionalAI-based performance evaluation and remote monitoring must be backed by a data protection impact assessment and by informing employees.skills · globaledX: 83% of employers prioritize AI skills, but only 29% have mature AI capabilities
Research by edX Enterprise finds 83% of employers treat AI skills as a priority, but only 29% have mature AI capabilities. Analyses say companies are building AI strategy without a workforce strategy.
HR professionalAlongside the AI strategy, a separate workforce and training plan is needed.managerThe success of AI adoption depends on whether the team can use it, not just on the platform.recruitment · United StatesDeveloper job postings are rising even as AI automates coding
Reports say software developer postings are rising, tech companies have created more than 280,000 jobs, and demand for tech talent has hit a three-year high. Compared with September, new IT postings…
job seekerIn the tech market, AI-integration and customer-facing engineering roles are in demand.HR professionalIn developer recruitment, competition for AI-integration profiles is intensifying.survey · United StatesWorkers exaggerate their AI use to their bosses
Surveys indicate workers pretend or exaggerate their AI use to impress their bosses; in one US survey, 48% admitted to overstating it. Another report says colleagues may also hide their AI skills to…
managerForcing AI-usage metrics breeds pretence, so measure by outcomes.employeeRather than proving AI use, show concrete time or quality gains.analysis · United StatesCompanies spending more on AI are spending less on workers; productivity gains are individual, not company-wide
Fast Company reports that many companies are spending more on AI and less on workers, while U.S. wages lag behind the AI investment boom. McKinsey's North America chair says AI raises individual…
managerThe return on AI investment should be measured at the workflow level, not just in usage.employeeIndividual productivity gains may not translate into higher pay.case · United StatesMobley v. Workday tests liability for discrimination in AI-based hiring
The Mobley v. Workday lawsuit is testing when vendors of automated hiring tools and employers can be held liable for discrimination. In the Sirius XM case, the court dismissed the claim because the…
HR professionalImpact assessments of AI screening tools, human review and the liability clauses in vendor contracts should be documented.job seekerAn automated rejection can be challenged successfully only with concrete evidence of its impact.tool · United StatesHR is adding AI recruiting agents before it knows how to audit them
An analysis finds that HR departments are deploying AI recruiting agents while the way to audit them remains unclear. Workday is named a market shaper in Gartner's report on AI agents in HR, and…
HR professionalBefore deploying an AI agent, assign an audit process and an accountable owner, and require logging from the vendor.In brief
layoffsAmazon announces more job cuts as Bezos predicts a three-day work weekemployeeThe promise of productivity gains is no guarantee of a job or shorter working hours, so it is worth backing up the value of your own role with numbers.toolSAP to acquire TechWolf for AI-based workforce intelligenceHR professionalIn SAP environments, skills-based workforce analytics may soon be built into the HR system, so it is worth assessing the quality of skills data.caseWizards of the Coast's D&D and Magic teams unionize over generative AIemployeeCreative workers can set limits on the use of generative AI through collective bargaining.managerWhen introducing generative AI, consulting worker representatives can head off labor disputes.early-career professionalsUK graduate job postings fall 45.6% to record low as employers cut hiring because of AIearly-career professionalWith fewer entry-level postings, internship and networking channels are gaining in value.HR professionalScaling back graduate programmes will affect the middle-management talent pipeline in the longer term.forecastAcemoglu warns AI could triple unemployment within a decademanagerDespite high-impact forecasts, planning should be based on analysis of the tasks in one's own organisation.employeeThe scale of the risk is disputed, but building skills is justified.surveyExecutives use AI more than their employees domanagerExecutive AI use is a precondition of organizational adoption, so lead by example.employeeAI skills can come with a pay premium, so documenting your usage may help in salary negotiations.surveyGallup: AI users work faster and more creatively, but benefits are unevenly sharedemployeeLack of AI access and training leads to unequal benefits, so ask for tools and training.managerProvide equal access and training to avoid an internal divide.surveySurveys: many workers want to use more AI than their employers allow, while others don't use it at allHR professionalA clear, usable AI policy is needed so that shadow AI is not the solution.managerWithout addressing incentives and accuracy concerns, usage will not grow.skillsSkill erosion and a 'verification tax' emerge as side effects of AI at workmanagerJuniors should deliberately be given the chance to learn tasks manually, and time for checking AI output should be built into plans.early-career professionalTo gain experience, it is worth practising the basics without AI as well.employeeChecking AI output is new work that should also be reflected in performance reviews.50+Older Australians are being screened out of job applications by AI50+/seniorThe CV should be built so that the AI filter recognises relevant keywords and recent skills, and networking is also worth pursuing.job seekerAI filters can screen out non-standard career paths, so direct outreach is also necessary.HR professionalThe age impact of automated screening tools should be audited.surveyMost UK workers use AI but save little time, Deloitte survey findsmanagerAI use alone does not deliver time savings; workflows must be redesigned too.employeeTime saved with AI is hard to measure, so apply it to specific tasks.regulationSpain: Royal Decree 723/2026 sets algorithmic transparency obligations in employmentHR professionalCompanies with Spanish operations should assess which HR algorithms fall under the new transparency obligation.employeeIn Spain, employees may be entitled to request information about algorithmic decisions that affect them.regulationUK issues first national standard for AI use in recruitmentHR professionalThe standard can serve as a starting point for an in-house policy on AI use in recruitment and for vendor audits.researchStudies: AI exposure alone does not show where employment grows or shrinksemployeeWhat matters is whether automation replaces expert or routine tasks, so strengthen the expert part of your own role.HR professionalPlan job redesign on task-level exposure, not on occupation labels.recruitmentIndia's demand for AI talent is more than 3.5 times supplyjob seekerThe market for people with AI/ML skills is tight, while hiring for traditional white-collar roles is slower.HR professionalWith AI talent scarce, retraining and internal development are an alternative to recruitment.opinionEconomists dispute AI job-loss narrative, citing healthy labor demandemployeeThe data so far do not confirm mass job losses, but the entry-level squeeze and sector differences are real.managerBase decisions on concrete job-level data, not on news-cycle alarm.surveyStudies: AI can develop its own hiring biases, and female-presenting AI agents would be paid 10% lessHR professionalOutputs of AI tools should be bias-tested regularly, not only at deployment.early-career professionalsAsia: China's youth unemployment, Thai graduates' struggles, Hong Kong's AI talent planearly-career professionalIn Asia too, competition is intensifying at AI-exposed entry levels, so practical AI skills give an edge.forecastForecasts: McKinsey says automation will affect 36 million jobs by 2035employeeTask transformation risk is highest in college-educated office roles.HR professionalAn AI-exposure map of roles can underpin training and headcount planning.skillsEmployers still want soft skills in the AI era, alongside AI familiarityjob seekerAlongside AI familiarity, communication and problem-solving skills are also worth backing up with examples.employeePractical use of AI tools can be demonstrated without programming.opinionExperts: AI-justified layoffs need a stronger HR evidence standardHR professionalBefore a layoff, HR should document which tasks AI actually replaces and which skills will have to be reacquired later.managerThe risk of an AI-justified layoff is the later cost of rehiring and the loss of knowledge.skillsAnthropic invests $100 million in training AI engineers; Abu Dhabi to train 23,000 civil servantsemployeeProvider and government training programmes can offer a free or subsidised entry point to AI skills.HR professionalIt is worth mapping the external AI training programmes available to supplement in-house training.caseThree dismissed OpenAI researchers dispute the company's stated reasons in open letteremployeeWhen handling confidential information, following company policy and documenting your reports can protect the employee.HR professionalIn a disciplinary dismissal, documentation of the investigation is essential, even if the dispute becomes public.early-career professionalsNZIER says youth unemployment in New Zealand is at crisis level, AI may make recovery harderearly-career professionalYoung people may find it structurally harder to get jobs, so it is important to start building skills early.forecastMicrosoft's AI chief cites Nobel laureate's research saying only 5% of human work is at riskmanagerStudies reach different conclusions, so estimate the affected tasks from your own data.caseAtlassian's HR-led model for AI transformationHR professionalHR can proactively take the lead on the organisational side of AI adoption.analysisUK records worst AI-linked job losses in Morgan Stanley survey, but Bank of England sees little evidence of cutsmanagerAssessments of AI's effect on the British labour market conflict, so decisions should rest on your own data.regulationMost Americans rank protecting jobs above winning the AI race, as robot tax debate growsmanagerGiven public opinion and regulatory pressure, AI-driven headcount reductions should be treated as a communication and legal risk.karrierWorkers worried about AI retrain for jobs that need a human touchemployeeBefore retraining, it is worth checking the pay and market outlook of the target profession.HR professionalAI anxiety may be among the reasons employees give for leaving.szervezetExperts: treat AI agents as workforce members, and a complaints-handling team may be neededHR professionalSpecify where employees can turn when an AI agent's decision is disputed.managerAssign each agent an accountable owner and an escalation path.recruitmentOpenAI pilots a 'mission interview' for job candidatesHR professionalWatch how interview rounds that test values fit can be run in a structured, bias-free way.researchEconomist behind the 'China shock' calls AI a paradoxical 'skill-disequalizer' for Gen Z workersearly-career professionalYoung people who use AI well may gain an advantage, while those with weaker foundations may fall behind.caseUnion sues to stop Onondaga County from using AI to answer non-emergency 911 callsemployeeIn the public sector, AI deployment can affect jobs, and unions can also take legal action.surveyPew survey across 37 countries examines how people view AI's impact on jobsmanagerEmployee concerns should be addressed openly when communicating about AI adoption.recruitmentUS startup would pay candidates to verify identity amid flood of AI-generated fake résumésHR professionalWith mass AI-generated applications, candidate verification may become a new cost item.job seekerProof of identity and skills gains value alongside the résumé.regulationJapan turns to AI-driven robots to ease labour shortagemanagerIn ageing economies with labour shortages, AI and robotics are a tool for filling the gap, not for cutting headcount.