McKinsey: 11 Million U.S. Workers May Need to Switch Careers by 2035 Due to AI

A new McKinsey report estimates that by 2035, approximately 11 million U.S. workers—representing roughly 7% of the total labor force—will need to change careers due to AI automation. This transition could triple the average annual number of career shifts in the U.S. over the coming decade. The study underscores that the main economic challenge of AI is not purely widespread joblessness, but facilitating massive reskilling and geographic/skills alignment for displaced workers. Low-wage workers in administration, retail, and logistics are nearly eight times more likely to need a career transition compared to high-income earners, threatening to widen economic inequality. McKinsey estimates that six out of seven transitioning workers will require significant retraining and face potential income losses. Accounting for variables such as corporate AI adoption speeds and demographic aging, the actual number of impacted workers could range between 6 million and 16 million.