The big picture: A significant portion of U.S. employment is already highly automated, with a smaller but notable percentage facing high displacement risk due to a lack of nontechnical barriers. This report projects the landscape of AI and automation's impact on jobs by 2026.

Why it matters: Workforce and staffing leaders must understand these trends to proactively manage talent pipelines, reskilling initiatives, and strategic workforce planning to mitigate displacement and leverage new opportunities.

Between the lines:

• 20% of U.S. employment is currently at least 50% automated.
• 60.4% of U.S. employment possesses at least one nontechnical barrier against automation-driven job displacement.
• 5.1% of U.S. employment is both at least 50% automated and lacks nontechnical barriers to displacement.

Staffing & HR impact: Staffing firms will need to pivot towards roles less susceptible to automation, focusing on human-centric skills and upskilling talent for emerging positions. HR departments face the challenge of identifying at-risk roles and implementing robust talent development and transition programs to retain valuable employees.

The bottom line: The future workforce demands strategic adaptation, emphasizing human resilience and continuous learning to thrive alongside advancing AI and automation.