The excitement and expectations surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) are impacting organizations in many ways. Many professionals are worried about losing their jobs to a bot due to this new technology. Meanwhile, the need to succeed with AI is driving companies to increase their hiring efforts for engineers and other professionals who can work with it.

Career killer or opportunity creator?

Management consulting firm McKinsey has released a new report, “The State of Artificial Intelligence in 2025: Agents, Innovation, and Transformation.” This report examines how organizations are embracing AI and how it is impacting hiring practices. The report includes feedback from 1,993 individuals representing a variety of company sizes and industries across 105 countries, conducted in June and July 2025.

The majority of survey respondents reported little or no change in their employee turnover due to AI in the past year. Looking at most job functions, less than 20 percent of respondents reported a 3 percent or greater reduction in their workforce. A smaller portion stated that they have hired more employees thanks to the use of AI.

However, this scenario is likely to change next year as AI adoption becomes more widespread. Looking ahead, 32 percent of survey respondents expect a decrease in their workforce due to AI. While 43 percent expect no change, 13 percent anticipate employment growth in certain functions. Larger businesses, in particular, are more likely to experience AI-related workforce reductions than smaller ones.

Organizations that regularly use AI have already experienced declines in some roles, and these declines are expected to continue. Customer service, human resources, sales, and marketing are among these areas. Furthermore, AI has increased hiring opportunities in some job types and will continue to do so. AI data scientists, data engineers, machine learning engineers, software engineers, AI product owners, and data architects are particularly sought-after positions.

The report’s findings vary depending on the company’s size, industry, region, and, most importantly, how it uses AI. Lareina Yee, director of the McKinsey Global Institute, noted that many companies are still in the pilot (test) phase of AI, and the impact on job growth is not yet clear. “Even in these early days of adoption,” Yee said, “we are seeing shifts in the skills in demand. The demand for AI skills is increasing in positions like insurance adjusters, digital marketers, and asset managers.”

Data preparation and MLOps (machine learning operations) are critical to the success of AI. The report reveals that large companies, in particular, are actively hiring for these skills, focusing on roles that integrate, model, and industrialize data. So, how do you think AI will impact your own career or industry?