Most coverage of AI and work is about jobs lost. The other side of the question gets less attention: which jobs are expected to grow, and what new work appears around AI itself. The best large source on this is the World Economic Forum's survey of employers, read carefully for what it is.
The short answer: employers surveyed by the WEF expect technology roles such as big data specialists, fintech engineers, AI and machine learning specialists and software developers to be the fastest-growing jobs in percentage terms to 2030, and frontline and care jobs to grow most in absolute numbers. These are employer expectations, not forecasts or counts, and they cover all major trends, not AI alone. Alongside them, new work is forming around directing, checking and maintaining AI systems.
What employers expect to grow (WEF)
The WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025 is based on a survey of over 1,000 employers about their expectations from 2025 to 2030. It reports:
| Kind of growth | Roles employers named |
|---|---|
| Fastest-growing in percentage terms (technology) | Big data specialists, fintech engineers, AI and machine learning specialists, software and application developers |
| Fastest-growing (green and energy transition) | Autonomous and electric vehicle specialists, environmental engineers, renewable energy engineers |
| Largest growth in absolute numbers (frontline) | Farmworkers, delivery drivers, construction workers, salespersons, food processing workers |
| Significant growth (care and education) | Nursing professionals, social work and counselling professionals, personal care aides, tertiary and secondary teachers |
Two cautions. These are what employers expect, not jobs that have been created. And the drivers include technology, the green transition, demographics and economic conditions, so not every growing role is growing because of AI. The same report expects clerical roles such as cashiers, administrative assistants, bank tellers and data entry clerks to decline. For the job loss side, see AI job loss: what the data says.
New work around AI itself
As AI tools spread inside organizations, someone has to set them up, give them clear instructions, check what they produce and answer for the result. That work shows up in several forms:
- Directing agents: writing briefs, setting limits and deciding what an agent may do. See AI agent manager job description.
- Checking output: reviewing AI work before it reaches customers or decisions. See checking AI output.
- Training and evaluating models: rating and correcting AI responses. See AI trainer jobs.
- Security and governance: protecting AI systems and the data they touch. See AI agent security.
- Teaching people to use AI well: see AI literacy at work.
Much of this sits inside existing jobs rather than new job titles. We call this kind of work digital collar work.
Growth in jobs AI touches least
Some of the strongest US projections are for hands-on work that generative AI barely touches, from electricians to nurses. Our job-by-job hub sets out exposure and projections side by side, and jobs safe from AI covers the least exposed occupations.
How to position yourself
The growing roles share skills more than titles: working with data, technology literacy, and the judgment to check and direct automated work. See AI skills to learn, AI jobs without coding and digital collar careers.
Questions and answers
What jobs will AI create?
Employers surveyed by the WEF expect big data specialists, fintech engineers, AI and machine learning specialists and software developers to be among the fastest-growing roles to 2030. New work also forms around directing, checking and securing AI systems.
Are the WEF figures forecasts?
No. They are what surveyed employers expect, covering all major trends, not AI alone, and not counts of jobs created.
Which jobs will grow most in number?
The WEF report expects frontline roles such as farmworkers, delivery drivers, construction workers and salespersons, plus care roles, to grow most in absolute numbers.
Do I need to code to get a new AI-related job?
Not necessarily. Many roles involve directing, checking or training AI rather than building it. See our page on AI jobs without coding.
Which jobs does the WEF expect to decline?
Clerical roles such as cashiers and ticket clerks, administrative assistants, bank tellers, postal service clerks and data entry clerks.