TLDR: A recent report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) indicates that 12.6% of current U.S. jobs, totaling over 19 million roles, are at a high or very high risk of displacement due to automation, including AI-powered tools. Blue-collar, service, and administrative support positions are most vulnerable, while roles requiring creativity and interpersonal skills are more secure. SHRM advocates for an ‘AI+HI=ROI’ strategy, emphasizing reskilling and integrating human intelligence with technology.
A comprehensive report released by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) on May 8, 2025, highlights a significant shift in the American workforce, with 12.6% of current U.S. jobs facing a high or very high risk of displacement due to advancing automation. This translates to approximately 19.2 million roles across the nation. The ‘2025 Jobs at Risk Report’ analyzed over 800 occupations, identifying specific sectors and job types most susceptible to technological disruption.
The study found that blue-collar, service, and administrative support occupations are disproportionately affected, exhibiting higher risk levels compared to other categories. Industries such as finance, insurance, manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing are also identified as having the highest exposure to automation-driven workforce disruptions. Conversely, jobs emphasizing creative and critical thinking, interpersonal skills, and those requiring a degree of improvisation and ingenuity are deemed to have the lowest exposure to near-term automation displacement risk.
SHRM’s chief data and analytics officer, Alex Alonso, underscored the urgency of the situation, stating, ‘Automation is no longer a hypothetical challenge but a present reality requiring thoughtful, strategic action from organizations.’ He added, ‘While automation has the potential to drive efficiency, businesses must pair it with human ingenuity to unlock true value.’
In response to these findings, SHRM proposes an ‘AI+HI=ROI’ approach, advocating for the strategic combination of artificial intelligence with human intelligence to cultivate a resilient and adaptive workforce. This strategy includes several key pillars: investing in workforce reskilling and upskilling, particularly for roles identified as high-risk; promoting data-informed decision-making where AI enhances talent management while human intelligence ensures nuanced and ethical implementation; and strengthening employee engagement by integrating AI to boost operational efficiency without compromising the essential human touch.
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Justin Ladner, SHRM’s senior labor economist, emphasized the transformative nature of this era: ‘As HR executives navigate this era of rapid automation, the key challenges are not just anticipating displacement and replacement but actively shaping the future of work and focusing on transformation of roles.’ He further advised, ‘HR leaders must focus on workforce agility by investing in continuous learning, reskilling, and redesigning roles to complement automation rather than compete with it.’ While the report acknowledges that the vast majority of jobs are unlikely to be fully displaced, it stresses that a clear majority are already automated to some extent, indicating that rapidly advancing automation, including generative AI tools, will profoundly transform a large share of employment in the years ahead.
