Workday Global Workforce Report: AI Is Rewriting Jobs More Than It's Cutting Them

My take: Workday's new global workforce report confirms something worth repeating: most business leaders don't see AI as a machine for mass layoffs. Only 28% expect AI to shrink their headcount, while 40% expect it to help them get more value out of the employees they already have. But the number that caught my attention most is another one: between January and July of this year, demand for basic AI skills fell 25%, while demand for advanced AI skills (building tools, automating processes) rose 51% since September of last year.

That confirms something I say often: knowing how to prompt a chatbot isn't enough anymore. The real value is learning to build with AI, automate part of your work, and use it as a strategic tool rather than a toy. And here's the part that should worry any company: 79% of employees know what skills they need to develop, but only 66% say their employer helps them get there. That 13 point gap is exactly where competitive advantage gets lost.

I also notice internal mobility fell at 57% of employers and promotion rates stayed roughly flat, which suggests many organizations have changed their work tools but haven't yet updated how they develop and move their people.

If you're an employee, what are you doing to move from basic AI use to actually building something with it? And if you lead a team, are you giving your people the time and access to close that skills gap before it becomes a disadvantage?