At the recent Semafor World Economy summit, Blake Lawit, LinkedIn’s Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer, provided a data-driven perspective on the current labor market dynamics. During his interview, Lawit affirmed that while hiring has dropped by nearly 20% since 2022, there is no evidence to suggest that artificial intelligence is the root cause.
Economic Trends Underpin Hiring Slowdown
Lawit said the decline in hiring aligns more closely with rising interest rates than with technological disruption. LinkedIn’s economic graph, which draws on data from more than one billion members and companies, offers a broad view of labor market activity. According to Lawit, if AI were significantly affecting employment, changes would likely be visible in areas such as customer service, administrative roles, and marketing. Current data does not support that pattern.
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Debunking The AI Narrative
Addressing concerns about AI, Lawit said LinkedIn’s data has not identified measurable job losses linked to the technology. Hiring declines appear consistent across different groups, including younger workers and experienced professionals. This suggests a broad-based slowdown rather than a shift driven by automation.
Preparing For A Transformed Job Landscape
Lawit noted that job requirements continue to change even without immediate disruption to hiring levels. Skills associated with many roles have shifted by approximately 25% in recent years. LinkedIn projects this figure could reach 70% by 2030 as AI adoption expands. Lawit said that even without changing jobs, workers are likely to see changes in their roles.
