Full Breakdown
AI Job-Displacement Concerns Vary Widely Across Regions, Survey Finds
5/11/2026, 1:59:45 AM
Survey Overview: Global Attitudes Toward AI and Employment
The Gallup International Association End-Year Survey 2025, conducted Oct 2025–Jan 2026, interviewed 60,458 adults in 61 countries. 36 % expressed worry about AI replacing jobs, 46 % were not worried, and 14 % were not in the workforce. Net global score –9.
Context: AI’s Expanding Role and Employment Anxiety
AI is increasingly used in credit, trading, and regulation, delivering faster decisions and deeper insight, while raising employment concerns, especially where digital access and education are limited.
Key Figures and Organizations
Dr Noman Ahmed Said, Si Global CEO, commented on the findings. Gallup International Association has run the survey annually since 1977.
Numbers: Regional Concern Levels and Pakistan’s Profile
Emerging economies showed the highest concern: Philippines (+61), India (+40), Indonesia (+36), Peru (+33), Ecuador (+25). Advanced economies recorded the lowest, e.g., Estonia (-45) and Sweden (-44). In Pakistan, 6 % were very worried, 7 % somewhat, 2 % not worried, 8 % not worried at all, 26 % declined to answer, and 52 % were not in paid work.
Implications for Emerging Economies
Higher concern correlates with economic vulnerability, lower education, and limited finances. Women and younger respondents show slightly more anxiety than men and older groups.
Dissenting View: AI as a Capability Multiplier
Dr Said says AI should be viewed as a multiplier of human capability, not a replacement. He stresses investment in digital literacy, modern education, and technical skills to avoid widening gaps, noting that societies preparing for AI-generated jobs will benefit, while delayed investment could worsen labor disparities.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
Pakistan’s concern levels differ from the global average, reflecting a high share of non-working respondents (52 %). The survey used mixed methods—telephone, web, face-to-face interviews—and varied sampling designs, which may affect cross-regional comparability.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Artificial intelligence should not be viewed as a replacement for human potential, but as a multiplier of human capability.” — Dr Noman Ahmed Said, Si Global CEO
- “The real question is not whether AI will replace jobs, but whether societies and governments can prepare people for the jobs it will create.” — Dr Noman Ahmed Said, Si Global CEO
- “academia collaboration and investment in youth training, AI can become a catalyst for economic growth rather than a source of unemployment anxiety, Said advised.” — Dr Noman Ahmed Said, Si Global CEO
- “History shows that technology changes jobs more often than it completely eliminates work.” — Dr Noman Ahmed Said, Si Global CEO
Outlook: Monitoring AI’s Labor Impact
The Gallup International Association will continue annual surveys to track AI-related employment concerns. Emerging-economy policymakers are urged to create skill-building programs and regulatory frameworks aligned with AI advances.
