KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Many Americans appear reluctant to change jobs in an uncertain economy, a new workforce study suggests a growing number of employees may already be preparing for their next move. Artificial intelligence could play a major role in that.
The sixth annual Career Optimism Index released by the University of Phoenix Career Institute indicates workers with AI skills are becoming more confident about changing roles and exploring new career opportunities. That has the potential to create new retention challenges for employers.
The findings point to a disconnect between today’s relatively stable workforce and what researchers describe as a quieter shift happening behind the scenes. While employees may be staying in their current positions for now, many are independently learning AI tools. That confidence that could make them more willing to leave.
According to the study, half of workers surveyed said AI has increased their confidence in making a career pivot. Confidence about future job opportunities was also high overall, with 63% of those surveyed expressing optimism. Among workers with AI-related knowledge or experience, that figure climbed to 75%.