Gartner says AI will start creating new roles in 2028
Employers should begin strengthening their internal pipeline as artificial intelligence tools are expected to start creating new jobs beginning in 2028, according to Gartner.
The advisory firm urged chief human resources officers (CHROs) to shift from an experience-based progression to skills-based advancement systems to maintain a resilient internal talent supply.
"AI is ultimately going to result in more job gains than losses, but in the process it's going to break down millions of careers," said Kaelyn Lowmaster, director analyst in the Gartner HR practice, in a statement.
"As AI changes how work gets done, organisations must rethink how employees gain expertise and experience, or they will find themselves without ready talent for the jobs AI helps create."
What should HR leaders do?
According to Gartner, CHROs need to be more deliberate in building critical skills in employees, starting with identifying the ones that are most needed for next-level success.
Infrastructure should then be developed to support the development of these skills, including by providing incentives and scalable learning mechanisms, such as simulations and guided practice environments.
"Performance at one level is no longer a proxy for readiness for more senior roles," Lowmaster said. "With AI support, employees can meet or exceed their current goals without developing the depth of expertise required for more complex roles."
Meanwhile, CHROs also need to start identifying employees with the foundational capabilities, learning agility, and adaptability needed to take on higher-level roles created by AI.
These employees can be identified even if they don't perfectly match the historical criteria for the role, according to Gartner.
Leadership should also be trained to navigate ambiguity, guide their teams through continuous transformation, and succeed without relying on past experience.
Gartner stressed that the most successful change leaders are able to make change routine, enabling employees to pursue learning opportunities amid technological transformation.
"Organisations that invest now in rebuilding career advancement pathways based on skills and adaptability will be best positioned to meet future talent demand, whereas those that don't risk creating deep capability gaps just as AI-driven growth accelerates," Lowmaster said.
Gartner's advice comes as the labour market faces a major transformation because of AI tools. Its poll in December 2025 revealed that 40% of organisations have already eliminated roles to meet evolving business needs.
But while this confirms initial reports that AI can make some roles obsolete, recent research assure[s] that new jobs are on the way and old jobs will get redesigned instead of getting cut.
