The context
Work is changing across systems, not in isolated departments.
Technology, skills, operating choices, and human collaboration now move together. These figures offer a grounded starting point for understanding that interdependence, without treating any one number as a complete answer.
42%
of employers name systems thinking as a core skill
The World Economic Forum placed systems thinking twelfth among the skills employers considered core in its 2025 survey.
Source: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025, January 2025 ↗69%
of employers consider analytical thinking essential
Analytical thinking ranked first among the core skills employers identified for their workforce.
Source: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025, January 2025 ↗63%
of employers cite skills gaps as a major barrier
Employers identified skills gaps as the leading obstacle to preparing their organizations for changing conditions through 2030.
Source: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025, January 2025 ↗85%
of employers plan to prioritize workforce upskilling
The finding reflects employers’ stated plans for the 2025 to 2030 period.
Source: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025, January 2025 ↗70%
of employers expect to hire people with new skills
The survey points to a continued need for organizations to pair capability-building with hiring decisions.
Source: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025, January 2025 ↗40%
of global employment is exposed to AI
The IMF’s estimate includes jobs where AI may complement human work as well as jobs where it may automate tasks.
Source: International Monetary Fund, Gen-AI and the Future of Work, January 2024 ↗60%
of jobs in advanced economies may be affected by AI
The IMF notes that exposure brings both risk and opportunity, depending on whether AI complements or replaces tasks.
Source: International Monetary Fund, Gen-AI and the Future of Work, January 2024 ↗1 in 4
jobs worldwide is potentially exposed to generative AI
The ILO and NASK describe exposure as potential task-level impact, not a forecast that one in four jobs will disappear.
Source: International Labour Organization and NASK, May 2025 ↗Method and sources
How to read this page.
These figures come from the latest named publications available when this page was reviewed. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 report draws on more than 1,000 employers, representing more than 14 million workers across 55 economies. The IMF and ILO figures are global estimates of potential exposure, not predictions of individual job loss.
Cite this page
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Suggested citation: Sophia Network, “Workforce Complexity Statistics: 2026 Reference,” reviewed October 20, 2026. Include the original source linked with each figure when citing a statistic.
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