The widespread impact of artificial intelligence on global employment is “inevitable,” according to a leading labor market expert who warns that the transition will cause significant hardship for certain sectors and communities.

Speaking during a panel at the Future of Work Summit, workforce strategist Dr. Elaine Porter said the acceleration of AI adoption across industries is reshaping the economy faster than most governments and institutions are prepared for.

“This isn’t speculative. It’s already happening,” Porter stated. “And it’s going to hurt for certain parts of the population who don’t have the skills or resources to adapt quickly.”

According to recent labor data, automation and AI are beginning to affect white-collar roles — including administrative, legal, and financial positions — once considered relatively immune to technological displacement.

Dr. Porter emphasized that while AI could create new job categories and increase productivity, it may also deepen inequality without proactive policy responses such as retraining programs, universal access to upskilling, and robust social safety nets.

“It’s not just about the loss of jobs. It’s about the loss of identity and stability for millions of people who aren’t being prepared for what’s next,” she added.

The remarks come as global tech firms race to integrate generative AI into customer service, logistics, software engineering, and even medical diagnostics — with some studies projecting that up to 300 million full-time jobs could be affected or redefined by the end of the decade.

Governments across Europe and North America are under pressure to introduce policies that support workers in transition. So far, the pace of regulation and retraining initiatives has lagged behind the rate of corporate AI deployment.