AI driving hiring growth: report

Just days after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that artificial intelligence (AI) had not delivered the sweeping job losses he once anticipated, a report claims the technology is doing the opposite — creating more jobs.

Now, 48% of the 1,500 hiring managers surveyed in Canada predict AI will help increase headcount in the next two years, not decrease.

At the same time, early workforce reductions tied to AI adoption are being reassessed. Robert Half reports that 34% of managers who eliminated positions after implementing AI have had to add those roles back, suggesting some employers underestimated the need for human expertise.

Last week, Altman told Reuters: “I don't think we're going to have the kind of jobs apocalypse that some of the companies in our space advocate or talk about.”

Recruitment pressures intensify with GenAI

However, candidate use of generative AI (GenAI) is creating new challenges for employers. The use of AI “to optimize resumes and apply to jobs in large volume is leading employers to spend more time evaluating candidates and validating credentials,” the staffing firm noted.

As a result, hiring processes are becoming more rigorous. Nearly 40% of HR teams are adding extra in-person interviews, and almost half are introducing assessments to verify candidates’ skills and experience.

Robert Half also found that recruiting workloads have increased and time-to-hire has lengthened, adding operational strain for HR departments tasked with maintaining hiring quality.

Career progression amid AI adoption

Alongside these hiring trends, AI is reshaping how careers develop within organisations. Robert Half reports that 25% of professionals said AI created more advancement opportunities, while another 25% said it changed the skills needed for career progression.

The findings, based on a survey of 1,482 Canadian professionals, indicate that AI is influencing career trajectories without fundamentally disrupting them. Robert Half also found that 47% of respondents said AI has had no significant impact on their career path, suggesting most workers are experiencing gradual change.

At the same time, new opportunities are emerging. Nearly 1 in 5 (17%) of respondents said AI has created new positions of interest, reflecting the growing demand for AI-related roles.

Half of young Canadians say AI is impacting their long-term career plans, according to a previous report from Borderless AI.

Here are a few essential numbers about AI’s impact on job creation in Canada, according to different stakeholders: