How AI Is Forcing a Shift from Replacement to Redesign

Analysis from Gartner suggests that the conversation around artificial intelligence should move from job replacement to one of large-scale job redesign. For senior leaders the shift presents a major but manageable transformation wave to a future where human-AI collaboration becomes the cornerstone of enterprise performance.

According to Gartner, the pace of this disruption is set to accelerate.

It forecasts that by 2028-29, organisations will need to reconfigure and redesign over 32 million roles annually to keep pace with AI's integration into business operations. 

Helen Poitevin, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, explains: “The next era of enterprise performance will not hinge on the quantity of people employed, but on the quality of collaboration between humans and AI.”

Planning for workforce transformation

The scale of this change could be substantial. Gartner's data suggests that “every day 150,000 jobs will evolve through upskilling, while 70,000 more jobs will need to be rewritten, reworked and redesigned".

This places a strategic imperative on leadership to prepare their organisations for what is to come.

Helen says: “Executive leaders must plan their AI investments and goals to anticipate and manage these changes. They need to decide on their destination – whether to pursue human-first designs that emphasise supporting people in their work, or to select AI-first designs that aim to maximise efficiency by relying on AI to perform tasks.”

Envisioning future work scenarios

Gartner outlines four potential scenarios that leaders must prepare to support. The first involves automation, where humans handle tasks that are beyond the capabilities of AI, a model currently seen in customer service, where agents intervene when chatbots falter.

The second scenario envisions an AI-first enterprise that operates with minimal human input, with work redesigned to align with AI systems that handle the majority of tasks.

A third possibility is the integration of everyday AI, where workers use AI tools to augment their existing roles, leaving the fundamental nature of their work unchanged.

The fourth scenario, a collaborative model, presents a future where humans and AI partner to tackle complex and creative challenges. In this vision, AI acts as an accelerant for human discovery and problem-solving, expanding the boundaries of knowledge work.

Adopting a people-first, abundance mindset

Navigating these possibilities requires strategic flexibility. “No matter which scenario executive leaders pursue, they must be ready to support all four,” Helen says.

She adds: “The ripple effects of AI will make each scenario a reality.”

The recommendation is for leaders to not only invest in both human-first and AI-first designs but to also cultivate an abundance mindset.

Helen explains that leaders should “emphasise what is possible with AI, embracing an abundance mindset – a mindset whereby AI helps leaders to tackle today and tomorrow’s challenges in new ways”.

Gartner stresses that an AI-first strategy can only truly succeed if it is also people-first. The goal is not a people-free organisation but one where job roles are intentionally designed to function in partnership with artificial intelligence.

The challenge for leaders is to assess the disruptive potential of AI tools within their own workforce and determine how to harness them effectively. This requires foresight and strategic planning, focusing on how the business and its people can adapt and evolve together.