Federal Labor Agency: 800,000 jobs are threatened in Germany due to artificial intelligence

In statements to the economic newspaper "Handelsblatt" today, Tuesday (November 10, 2026), Andrea Nahles, head of the Federal Labor Agency in Germany, said that artificial intelligence will create new jobs, but it will cause the loss of at least 800,000 jobs. However, she expressed her desire to see more investments in artificial intelligence in Germany, provided that these investments contribute to enhancing productivity.

Which sectors are most vulnerable?

Nalis explained that job losses due to artificial intelligence will have a greater impact on certain sectors, such as services directed to companies, or analytical jobs in the insurance and banking sectors. In contrast, professions where it is difficult to integrate AI, such as craft professions, have proven to be more resilient. “Even workers who are unskilled or who lack specialized training still have opportunities, since it may not be feasible to replace them with artificial intelligence,” she added. However, Nalis emphasized that no one is completely immune to this effect.

What about the shortage of skilled workers?

Nalis stated that university graduates currently face more difficulty entering the labor market, and they may not get the job of their dreams, but their opportunities remain much better compared to others. She pointed out that poor economic performance plays a major role in this context.

The head of the Federal Employment Agency also indicated that the economic recession is also affecting the vocational training market throughout Germany, as the number of vocational training opportunities has witnessed a continuous decline for three years, as it decreased this year by 6%, equivalent to 31 thousand training opportunities.

If an economic recovery occurs, it will take about six months for its impact to be reflected in the labor market.

"At first, companies wait to get more orders and resort to increasing overtime," Nalis said. This excluded the construction sector, which appears to be improving slightly thanks to infrastructure programs launched by the federal government.