Adecco revealed this Tuesday, September 1st, the study "On the threshold: AI, the future of work and the rise of hybrid labor markets," which addresses the relationship between artificial intelligence and the future of work. Three and a half years after the emergence of ChatGPT, in the 38 OECD countries, the employment rate stands at 72.1%, close to historic highs, and between 2023 and 2025 approximately 1.3 million AI-related jobs were created. However, fewer than one in ten companies has integrated the technology at scale into workflows.
Alexandra Andrade, country manager of Adecco Portugal, stated that "we are entering a new phase of the future of work," emphasizing that the discussion should not focus solely on the jobs AI may replace, but on the work that can be redesigned through collaboration between people and technology. The manager highlighted the opportunity to anticipate skills and redesign work to create more value.
In Portugal, a country marked by an aging workforce and structural talent shortages, AI can contribute to increasing productivity and amplifying people's capabilities, freeing up time from repetitive tasks. Skills such as adaptability, critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence will become more valuable.
The study presents four possible scenarios for the next 10 years, from a "Flourishing Economy," in which AI functions as a productivity engine, to "Deus Ex Machina," marked by very high levels of automation, considered the least likely scenario. Adecco explains that a new logic of hybrid workforce forces is emerging, where talent, skills, and technology are combined strategically.
