Zitatform

Pesole, Annarosa (2025): Algorithmic Management and the Platformisation of Work in Europe: Evidence from Spain and Germany. In: The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Jg. 68, H. 2, S. 367-394. DOI:10.1007/s41027-024-00544-y

Abstract

"This study investigates the impact of digital tools and algorithmic management on work organisation and working conditions, with a focus on the growing platformisation of work. The research focuses on three main aspects: the use of digital devices and platforms, the collection and processing of data by these platforms, and the role of algorithms in managing labour activities. Drawing on data from the AMPWork survey conducted in Spain and Germany, the analysis explores the prevalence and effects of digital monitoring and algorithmic management within traditional and platform work settings. Findings highlight the significant diffusion of digital tools and reveal that over two-thirds of workers use such technologies in their tasks. However, the extent of platformisation varies by occupation, sector, and digital tool usage. The findings reveal that a significant number of workers now rely on digital devices in their daily tasks, with digital monitoring and algorithmic management prevalent across various work environments. The survey highlights higher levels of platformisation among clerks and operators in high-tech industries, knowledge-intensive services, and public administration. Additionally, remote workers or those operating outside traditional employer premises are more likely to experience platformisation. While the use of platforms can lead to more structured and efficient work procedures, it also introduces challenges, such as increased monotony and stress, suggesting a complex relationship between platformisation and job satisfaction. This study underscores the transformative impact of platformisation on the nature of work, calling attention to the need for further research and policy consideration. The findings emphasise the importance of addressing the implications of digital labour platforms and algorithmic management for job quality, economic value, and the evolving landscape of employment in the digital era. Indeed, the study confirms that the integration of algorithmic management and surveillance technologies in the workplace poses significant risks to workers’ privacy, datarights, freedom of association, and overall well-being. These practices can erode working conditions and harm mental and physical health. Addressing these issues requires strict regulation of intrusive surveillance and the development of a comprehensive policy framework for algorithmic management and digital monitoring." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Pfrogner, Julia & Konrad Zdanowiecki (2025): KI-Nutzung - rechtlich eingehegt oder überreguliert? In: R. Giesen, A. Junker & V. Rieble (Hrsg.) (2025): KI im Unternehmen, S. 107-125.

Abstract

"Die KI-Nutzung im Unternehmen umfasst ein Bündel rechtlicher Themen. Der Schwerpunkt dieses Vortrags liegt auf den arbeitsrechtlichen Anwendungsbereichen und dort relevanten Kernthemen. Dazu geben wir einen groben Überblick über die KI-Verordnung (KI-VO), soweit für das Arbeitsrecht relevant, beleuchten datenschutzrechtliche Themen, Arbeitnehmerrechte und Mitbestimmungsrechte des Betriebsrats. Am Rande werden wir die Themen Informationssicherheit, Geistiges Eigentum und Fairness behandeln. Dabei haben wir den KI-Einsatz im Unternehmen in drei Bereiche aufgeteilt: KI statt Arbeitgeber, KI statt Arbeitnehmer und den derzeit praxisrelevantesten Bereich der KI als Hilfsmitte für den Arbeitnehmer." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Pialli, Guido (2025): Benign effects of technological change on the labour share: evidence from European regions. In: Cambridge Journal of Economics, Jg. 49, H. 4, S. 795-824. DOI:10.1093/cje/beaf021

Abstract

"The labor share across European regions has shown significant variation since the late 1990s. This paper explores the role of technological change in explaining this regional variation. Specifically, this paper proposes and tests the hypothesis that the recent shift in technological change is labor-intensive, driven by a localized, bottom-up process that exploits the skills and learning processes of the workforce. The empirical analysis, using data from 171 European regions over the period 1999–2015, supports the theoretical framework, showing that technological change has a positive and economically significant impact on the labor share." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Pieterson, Willem (2025): Opportunities of AI within PES processes and services. PES Network Report exploring PES experiences, best practices and emerging business value. Luxemburg: Publications Office of the European Union, 67 S. DOI:10.2767/84293

Abstract

"Artificial intelligence (AI), as a branch of advanced data analytics, is a rapidly evolving field. The release of Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT) in 2022 and the many tools and applications using Generative AI (GenAI) highlight new possibilities. Many governments and public sector agencies are interested in how AI can transform their processes and client services – Public Employment Services (PES) are no exception. An Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study in 2022 suggests that most PES are now showing concrete interest in adopting AI: nearly 40% of PES are looking into AI tools or tools using other types of advanced analytics (AA) to support jobseeker profiling, while more than 40% see the potential of AI for job matching or career services, such as identifying skill gaps. (…) This report compiles a more complete overview of existing and planned AI practices across European PES. It analyses their outcomes, the challenges PES face, and the context in which these developments take place." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Pouliakas, Konstantinos, Giulia Santangelo & Paul Dupire (2025): Are artificial intelligence skills a reward or a gamble? Deconstructing the AI wage premium in Europe. In: Eurasian business review, Jg. 15, H. 4, S. 1091-1128. DOI:10.1007/s40821-025-00302-0

Abstract

"Understanding the labor market impact of new, autonomous digital technologies, particularly generative or other forms of artificial intelligence (AI), is currently at the top of the research and policy agenda. Many initial studies, though not all, have shown that there is a wage premium to mostly technical AI skills in labor markets. Such evidence tends to draw on data from web-based sources and typically fails to provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the AI wage gap. This paper utilizes representative adult workforce data from 29 European countries, the second European skills and jobs survey, to examine wage differentials of the AI programmer workforce. The latter is uniquely identified as part of the workforce that writes computer programs using AI algorithms. The analysis shows that, on average, AI programmers enjoy a significant wage premium relative to a comparably educated or skilled workforce, such as programmers who do not yet write code using AI at work. Wage decomposition analysis further illustrates that there is a large unexplained component of such wage differential. Part of AI programmers’ larger wage variability can however be attributed to higher job-skill requirements, a propensity for remote work and a greater performance-based component in wage schedules. This indicates differences in the job design and performance management of the AI workforce." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Giulia Santangelo (2025): Are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skills a Reward or a Gamble? Deconstructing the AI Wage Premium in Europe. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 17607), Bonn, 33 S.

Abstract

"Understanding the labor market impact of new, autonomous digital technologies, particularly generative or other forms of artificial intelligence (AI), is currently at the top of the research and policy agenda. Many initial studies, though not all, have shown that there is a wage premium to AI skills in labor markets. Such evidence tends to draw on data from web-based sources and typically deploys a keyword approach for identifying AI skills. This paper utilizes representative adult workforce data from 29 European countries, the second European skills and jobs survey, to examine wage differentials of the AI developer workforce. The latter is uniquely identified as part of the workforce that writes programs using AI algorithms. The analysis shows that, on average, AI developers enjoy a significant wage premium relative to a comparably educated or skilled workforce, such as programmers who do not yet write code using AI at work. Wage decomposition analysis further illustrates that there is a large unexplained component of such wage differential. Part of AI programmers' larger wage variability can be attributed to a greater performance-based component in their wage schedules and higher job-skill requirements." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Procentese, Fortuna, Flora Gatti & Emiliano Ceglie (2025): Technostress and work-family interface in the face of COVID-19-related remote work: the moderator role of goals setting and prioritization skills. In: Community, work & family, Jg. 28, H. 2, S. 272-290. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2023.2247147

Abstract

"During the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Italy, a nationwide lockdown required a massive shift to remote work – that is, from workers’ houses. The risk of conflict between work and family domains increased due to the collapse of both into private houses and may have been further burdened due to no training being issued to help workers adjust to these changes in their work activities, producing higher rates of technostress. This study deepens the impact of technostress creators on the conflicts between work and family domains and the role of workers’ goal setting and prioritization skills as moderators easing these relationships. Data were gathered from 375 remote workers during the Italian nationwide lockdown using an online questionnaire. Results show that higher scores in technostress creators positively associate with both work-to-family and family-to-work conflicts and the former relationship becomes stronger as workers’ planning skills increase. They highlight the need to consider the pitfalls of remote work, as it can also have detrimental effects on workers’ family and relational life, and to find a better balance between work and family domains from a systemic perspective." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Rabensteiner, Thomas & Alexander Guschanski (2025): Occupational Autonomy and Wage Divergence: Evidence From European Survey Data. In: BJIR, Jg. 63, H. 4, S. 696-713. DOI:10.1111/bjir.70003

Abstract

"Wages across occupations in Western Europe have diverged, resulting in increased wage inequality. However, existing theories such as routine-biased technological change (RBTC) or task offshoring fail to explain this trend. We propose a new explanation based on occupational autonomy. Autonomy measures workers' control and influence over their work process based on the tasks required in an occupation. Analysing individual-level data from the EU Survey of Income and Living Conditions, we reveal a rising autonomy wage premium, that is, higher wage growth for occupations with higher autonomy, which accurately predicts the observed occupational wage divergence. We also find that the autonomy premium increases more rapidly in countries and industries with greater employee monitoring and outsourcing, as well as in countries with declining minimum wages. These findings imply that low-autonomy occupations have been disadvantaged by recent socioeconomic trends that have altered power relations in the workplace. Notably, our analysis does not support previous explanations for occupational wage trends based on RBTC or task offshoring." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Rehmer, Sabine, Holger Muehlan, Maren Menzel, Maike Juds, Michael Fellmann, Hitesh Dhiman & Carsten Röcker (2025): Die Hybridisierung von menschlichen und technischen Arbeitsleistungen mit Künstlicher Intelligenz als neuer Leittechnologie: Entwicklungen, Implikationen und Potenziale für menschengerechte Arbeit. In: Zeitschrift für Arbeitswissenschaft, Jg. 79, H. 4, S. 525-533. DOI:10.1007/s41449-025-00489-y

Abstract

"Der Artikel untersucht die Hybridisierung menschlicher und technischer Arbeitsleistungen im Kontext Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) als neuer Leittechnologie und analysiert ihre Entwicklungen, Implikationen und Potenziale für eine menschengerechte Arbeitsgestaltung. Ausgehend von der Beobachtung, dass KI zunehmend kognitive Tätigkeiten transformiert, wird mit dem Konzept des „Hybrid Man“ ein neues Menschenbild skizziert, das die enge Verschränkung von menschlicher und maschineller Intelligenz beschreibt. Damit einher gehen tiefgreifende Herausforderungen: Die Grenzen zwischen menschlicher und technischer Leistung verschwimmen, Verantwortungsfragen und rechtliche Unsicherheiten entstehen, während zugleich neue Anforderungen an Kompetenzen wie „AI Literacy“ sichtbar werden. Ebenso rücken Fragen nach Transparenz, Erklärbarkeit und Akzeptanz von KI-Systemen in den Vordergrund, die für Vertrauen und nachhaltige Integration entscheidend sind. Neben den Chancen zur Entlastung und Erweiterung menschlicher Fähigkeiten birgt die Hybridisierung Risiken wie Überwachungsdruck, Anpassungsstress und negative psychische Beanspruchungen. Vor diesem Hintergrund schlägt der Artikel mit dem Konzept des eudaimonischen Wohlbefindens („Eudaimonia“) ein normatives Kriterium für die Gestaltung zukünftiger Arbeit vor, das Wachstum, Sinnhaftigkeit, Authentizität und Exzellenz fördert. Ziel ist eine interdisziplinär fundierte, menschengerechte Arbeitswelt, die die Potenziale von KI nutzbar macht, ohne die psychische Gesundheit, Selbstwirksamkeit und Würde der Beschäftigten zu gefährden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Ribeiro, Marcos J. & Klaus Prettner (2025): The Skill Premium Across Countries in the Era of Industrial Robots and Generative AI. (Department of Economics working paper / Vienna University of Economics and Business 381), Wien, 29 S.

Abstract

"How do new technologies affect economic growth and the skill premium? To answer this question, we analyze the impact of industrial robots and artificial intelligence (AI) on the wage differential between low-skill and high-skill workers across 52 countries using counterfactual simulations. In so doing, we extend the nested CES production function framework of Bloom et al. (2025) to account for cross-country income heterogeneity. Confirming prior findings, we Show that the use of industrial robots tends to increase wage inequality, while the use of AI tends to reduce it. Our contribution lies in documenting substantial heterogeneity across income groups: the inequality-increasing effect of robots and the inequality-reducing effects of AI are particularly strong in high-income countries, while they are less pronounced among middle- and lower-middle income countries. In addition, we show that both technologies boost economic growth. In terms of policy recommendations, our findings suggest that investments in education and skill-upgrading can simultaneously raise average incomes and mitigate the negative effects of automation on wage inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Riccio, Federico, Jacopo Staccioli & Maria Enrica Virgillito (2025): European regional employment and exposure to labour-saving technical change: results from a direct text similarity measure. (LEM working paper series / Laboratory of Economics and Management 2025/19), Pisa, 34 S. DOI:10.57838/sssa/02jp-b197

Abstract

"Does labor-saving technological change pose a threat to European employment, and if so, to what extent? This study investigates the degree of employment exposure to labor-saving technological change across NUTS-2 regions in Europe. We construct a cross-walked metric between the SOC and ISCO classification systems to adapt the direct measure of occupational exposure developed by Montobbio et al. (2024) for the US economy and apply it to the European context. This methodology enables us to generate detailed insights into the exposure of European occupations by leveraging the similarity rankings between technological classifications in the USPTO (CPCs) and task descriptions. To evaluate the transmission from occupational exposure to employment outcomes, we utilise data from the European Structure of Earnings Survey (EU-SES), thereby constructing exposure indices at both sectoral and regional levels. Finally, we examine the industrial and geographical diffusion of labor-saving technological change in recent years and provide robust econometric evidence indicating that low-wage regions, as well as deindustrialising areas heavily integrated into global value chains, are disproportionately vulnerable to the threat of substitution." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Richiardi, Matteo Guido, Leonie Westhoff, Caterina Astarita, Ekkehard Ernst, Clare Fenwick, Neysan Khabirpour & Lorenzo Pelizzari (2025): The impact of a decade of digital transformation on employment, wages, and inequality in the EU: a “conveyor belt” hypothesis. In: Socio-economic review, Jg. 23, H. 3, S. 1225-1251. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwaf011

Abstract

"We study the effects of digital transformation in the European Union on individual employment outcomes, wage growth, and income inequality, during the decade 2010–9. Our results allow us to formulate a ‘conveyor-belt’ hypothesis suggesting that employment confers a competitive advantage in navigating the digital transition due to the accumulation of pertinent skills in the workplace. Because digital skills are acquired with the changing demands of the job, their initial endowment matters less for the employed than for the non-employed. Furthermore, the ability of out-of-work individuals with higher digital skills to jump back on the labour market is reduced for those with higher education, suggesting a faster depreciation of their digital skills. A similar effect, although of limited size, is found for earning growth: out-of-work individuals with higher digital skills are not only more likely to find a job, but experience higher earnings growth, compared to their peers with lower digital skills. Our results point to a vulnerability of workers ‘left behind’ from the digital transformation and the labour market. The overall effects on inequality are, however, limited." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Sargent, Kristina & Jue Wang (2025): A one way ticket to gig? In: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Jg. 239. DOI:10.1016/j.jebo.2025.107253

Abstract

"We propose a search and matching model to explore the labor market implications of a growing gig economy. The economy has conventional and gig sectors, with workers searching in both. Some workers never consider gig employment, and others do under certain conditions. Workers are allowed to work in both sectors at the same time if they prefer. Workers match with gig positions with probability one, but gig workers face a wage penalty and matching frictions in the conventional sector. As a result, gig work serves as an alternative to unemployment, the gig sector absorbs labor market slack from the conventional sector, but the choice to engage in the gig economy comes at a cost to workers. By comparing the implications of the model under various levels of exposure to the gig economy, we explore the nature of the sector and the opportunities and consequences that come with it. The benchmark model provides insights into the rise of the gig economy, highlighting its impact on workers and the segmentation of the labor markets. While the presence of the gig sector opens up new job opportunities, potential welfare implications from the existence of the gig sector and its frictions are estimated to range from a benefit around 80% to a cost of around 20%, and directly impact up to two-thirds of the workforce relative to a standard search model with no gig sector. The costs mostly apply to workers with middle to lower productivity, and therefore have important distributional implications. Promoting a more inclusive gig economy can enable market systems to address labor market challenges while preserving their innovative and adaptive capabilities. As a case study, the gig economy highlights the balance between market efficiency and social equity, providing valuable perspectives on labor relations, creative destruction, and policy solutions grounded in market economics." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

Zitatform

Sartori, Laura & Clementine Collett (2025): Sociotechnical imaginaries of social inequality in the design and use of AI recruitment technology. In: European Societies, Jg. 27, H. 3, S. 409-432. DOI:10.1162/euso_a_00035

Abstract

"Through interviewing 12 companies in Italy which either design (vendors) or use (clients) AI recruitment technology systems, we explore how these companies perceive their systems to interact with issues of social inequality and how these perceptions, in practice, carry societal impacts. Three sociotechnical imaginaries (Jasanoff and Kim, 2015) were consistently embedded within these companies’ visions of this intersection: the third eye, the river, and the car bonnet. Through critically analyzing these imaginaries, we find that they exhibit an overriding desire for productivity and talent capture from clients, and a consequential de-prioritization of addressing social inequality and scrutinizing the ways it could be reproduced from both vendors and clients. It demonstrates that the current ‘desired’ futures, shown by the sociotechnical imaginaries which vendors and clients share for AI-tec-tech are really leading us towards an ‘undesirable’ future of hiring which continues to perpetuate social inequality. This study contributes one of the first pieces of empirical work to simultaneously assess the perceptions of AI-rec-tech vendors ’ and clients’ surrounding social inequality, to shed light on the priorities for design and the motivations for usage, and to reflect upon how this impacts society. This is a significant and original contribution to the evolving body of literature on AI-rec-tech in sociology, critical data studies, and communications." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Schaal, Jacob (2025): A theory-based AI automation exposure index: Applying Moravec's Paradox to the US labor market. (arXiv papers), 33 S. DOI:10.48550/arXiv.2510.13369

Abstract

"This paper develops a theory-driven automation exposure index based on Moravec's Paradox. Scoring 19,000 O*NET tasks on performance variance, tacit knowledge, data abundance, and algorithmic gaps reveals that management, STEM, and sciences occupations show the highest exposure. In contrast, maintenance, agriculture, and construction show the lowest. The positive relationship between wages and exposure challenges the notion of skill-biased technological change if AI substitutes for workers. At the same time, tacit knowledge exhibits a positive relationship with wages consistent with seniority-biased technological change. This index identifies fundamental automatability rather than current capabilities, while also validating the AI annotation method pioneered by Eloundou et al. (2024) with a correlation of 0.72. The non-positive relationship with pre-LLM indices suggests a paradigm shift in automation patterns." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Schneemann, Christian, Florian Bernardt, Michael Kalinowski, Tobias Maier, Gerd Zika & Marc Ingo Wolter (2025): Auswirkungen des Strukturwandels auf die Arbeitsmarktregionen und Bundesländer in der langen Frist – Qualifikations- und Berufsprojektion bis 2040. (IAB-Forschungsbericht 03/2025), Nürnberg, 46 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FB.2503

Abstract

"Die Bundesländer und die Arbeitsmarktregionen in Deutschland unterscheiden sich in ihrer Bevölkerungs- und Wirtschaftsstruktur, weshalb sie auch unterschiedliche Arbeitskräfteengpässe und -überhänge aufweisen. Aufgrund ihrer verschiedenartigen Entwicklungen werden auch künftig Unterschiede im Arbeitsmarktgeschehen bestehen. Mit Hilfe des sogenannten QuBe-Modellverbundes (8. Welle der QuBe-Basisprojektion) werden langfristige immanente Megatrends wie die demografische Entwicklung, der wirtschaftliche Strukturwandel und die Digitalisierung im Modell selbst erfasst und die Auswirkungen auf Wirtschaft und Arbeitsmarkt sichtbar gemacht. Die Analyse zeigt, dass sich die wirtschaftliche Lage in Deutschland nicht wie in der Vergangenheit durch positive Entwicklungen im Außenhandel erholen wird. Das zukünftige Handeln der USA, China und Russlands ist schwer abzuschätzen und erhöht die Unsicherheit auf dem Weltmarkt. Zudem wird das künftige Arbeitsmarktgeschehen zu einem großen Teil von der demografischen Entwicklung, dem stetigen strukturellen Wandel (z.B. Digitalisierung im Handel) und der schwächeren Nachfrage im Baugewerbe geprägt. So wird das Arbeitskräfteangebot infolge des Bevölkerungsrückgangs in vielen Bundesländern und Arbeitsmarktregionen bis zum Jahr 2040 sinken. Zwar können einige Arbeitsmarktregionen noch Bevölkerung aufbauen, aber die Bevölkerung im erwerbsfähigen Alter wird in allen abnehmen. Infolgedessen wird auch der Arbeitskräftebedarf fast überall sinken. Insgesamt wird in vielen Bundesländern und Arbeitsmarktregionen die Erwerbslosenquote sinken oder nahezu stabil bleiben, so dass dort trotz der schlechteren konjunkturellen Entwicklung weiterhin mit Engpässen in verschiedenen Wirtschaftsbereichen und Berufen zu rechnen ist. Die Rekrutierung von Arbeitskräften dürfte somit in vielen Wirtschaftsbereichen und Regionen langfristig zunehmend schwieriger werden. Der Bedarf an qualifiziertem Personal im Wirtschaftszweig „Heime und Sozialwesen“ oder im Bereich der IT-Dienstleistungen wächst kontinuierlich. Dies alles geschieht vor dem Hintergrund eines wohl eher noch beschleunigten Strukturwandels, der gerade die Bundesländer und Arbeitsmarktregionen schon jetzt vor große Herausforderungen stellt, in denen das Verarbeitende Gewerbe zum Beispiel die Automobilindustrie nach wie vor überdurchschnittlich. Die fortschreitende Digitalisierung und Dekarbonisierung erfordern eine permanente Modernisierung und Innovationsfähigkeit der deutschen Wirtschaft. Gerade die ökologische Transformation ist stark auf Erwerbstätige im Baugewerbe angewiesen. Eine Qualifizierung in diesem Bereich bleibt deshalb wichtig, weil die Rekrutierungssituation für Unternehmen trotz der langfristig vermutlich zurückgehenden Erwerbstätigkeit im Vergleich zu anderen Berufen auch in Zukunft schwierig sein wird. Die Umsetzung zusätzlich notwendiger Investitionen im Zuge dieser Transformation sollte nicht an fehlenden Fachkräften scheitern." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Seele, Stefanie & Oliver Stettes (2025): KI-Nähe im Job zahlt sich aus. (IW-Kurzberichte / Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft Köln 2025,45), Köln, 3 S.

Abstract

"Beschäftigte, deren Aufgaben eine Nähe zu den Anwendungspotenzialen von Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) aufweisen, erhalten höhere Tagesentgelte als Beschäftigte in KI-fernen Tätigkeiten. Sie wechseln zudem seltener den Betrieb und haben seltener längere Arbeitslosigkeitsperioden. Die Sorge vor einer zunehmenden Verbreitung von KI im Arbeitsalltag scheint bisher unbegründet." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Shaiwalini, Shipra & Subhendu Patnaik (2025): Unpacking the gig economy: key enablers and barriers for gig work – a systematic review and future research directions. In: Personnel Review, S. 1-28. DOI:10.1108/pr-09-2024-0829

Abstract

"Purpose: This study systematically reviews and synthesizes existing literature on gig work to identify its key enablers and barriers. With the rise of algorithmically managed digital platforms, gig work faces unique challenges. The review aims to offer insights and guide future research on this evolving labour market segment. Design/methodology/approach Using Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems framework, this study systematically reviews 83 research articles from leading journals over the past two decades. The framework helps organize and analyse the factors influencing gig work at various levels. Findings The review identifies upskilling opportunities and peer-to-peer networks facilitated by digital technologies as key enablers, while gaps in worker protections and regulatory oversight are significant barriers. Gaps in current research, particularly on the long-term impacts of gig work, are also highlighted. Practical implications The findings inform policymakers, platform managers and gig workers, providing strategies to address the evolving challenges of gig work. Policymakers can craft balanced regulations, while platforms can improve worker satisfaction and performance. Originality/value This study offers a novel contribution by applying Bronfenbrenner’s framework to synthesize gig work research. It provides a structured analysis of enablers and barriers and lays the foundation for future research in this field." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

Zitatform

Smerdon, David, Samuel Pearson & Sabina Albrecht (2025): Physical proximity drives gay discrimination in the gig economy. In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Jg. 122, H. 11. DOI:10.1073/pnas.2412362122

Abstract

"Despite legal protections, discrimination based on sexual orientation remains difficult to detect and measure in labor markets. We present evidence from a field experiment (N = 1,128) conducted in Australia on a major gig economy platform that allows users to outsource everyday tasks. By manipulating both the sexual orientation of job posters (gay vs. straight male) and physical proximity requirements of tasks (inside vs. outside the home), we identify discrimination against gay profiles and demonstrate a specific mechanism for its emergence: physical proximity. Gay profiles received fewer offers and less engagement, and attracted workers with significantly lower quality ratings, but only for tasks requiring close physical proximity. Additional exploratory analysis further suggests that the results are driven by an anti-gay bias rather than an anti-men or pro-women bias and that discrimination is stronger for tasks with a higher degree of interaction between worker and job poster. Our findings demonstrate how digital labor platforms can perpetuate traditional forms of discrimination, while shedding light on physical proximity as one important mechanism. These results have important implications for users of the gig economy, a sector of increasing importance due to its rapid growth and comparatively lax regulatory frameworks." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Stanton, Christopher T. & Catherine Thomas (2025): Who Benefits from Online Gig Economy Platforms? In: The American economic review, Jg. 115, H. 6, S. 1857-1895. DOI:10.1257/aer.20221189

Abstract

"Online labor platforms for short-term remote work have many more job seekers than available jobs. Despite their relative abundance, workers capture a substantial share of the surplus from transactions. We draw this conclusion from demand estimates that imply workers’wages include significant markups over costs and a survey that validates our surplus estimates. Workers retain a significant share of the surplus because demand-side search frictions and worker differentiation reduce direct competition. Finally, we show that applying traditional employment regulations to online gig economy platforms would lower job posting and hiring rates, reducing aggregate surplus for all market participants, including workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Storm, Eduard, Myrielle Gonschor & Marc Justin Schmidt (2025): AI in Demand: How Expertise Shapes its (Early) Impact on Workers. (Ruhr economic papers 1185), Essen, 46 S. DOI:10.4419/96973370

Abstract

"We study how artificial intelligence (AI) affects workers' earnings and employment stability, combining German job vacancy data with administrative records from 2017-2023. Identification comes from changes in workers' exposure to local AI skill demand over time, instrumented with national demand trends. We find no meaningful displacement or productivity effects on average, but notable skill heterogeneity: expert workers with deep domain knowledge gain while non-experts often lose, with returns shaped by occupational task structures. We also document AI-driven reinstatement effects toward analytic and interactive tasks that raise earnings. Overall, our results imply distributional concerns but also job-augmenting potential of early AI technologies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Stöckl, Andreas & Olaf Struck (2025): Continuous vocational education and training and new technologies: on the importance of educational level and technology in the workplace. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 59. DOI:10.1186/s12651-025-00398-x

Abstract

"Continuing vocational education and training (CVET) can support technical and digital developments. At the same time, company-based training increases employability in the face of technical rationalization. Multiple studies show that the highly qualified undertake further training more often than the less qualified. This increases their educational and employment inequality. However, it is unclear whether this general finding also applies to participation in CVET when new technologies are introduced in companies. Companies could have an interest in the deployment of all their employees. The introduction of new technologies in a company context could lead to people with professional qualifications as well as those with higher qualifications taking part in CVET. Using the Linked Personnel Panel (LPP) and the IAB Establishment Panel, we investigate whether the participation of employees with university-level education and upper secondary vocational education differ if the participation in CVET is attributed directly to the introduction of technology in the workplace. The outcomes show that the more highly qualified use forms of self-study more frequently. However, there are only marginal differences between highly qualified and professionally qualified employees when it comes to the use of courses as part of in-house training." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Teutloff, Ole & Fabian Braesemann (2025): Resilienz statt Reskilling: Wie KI den Arbeitsmarkt verändert und wie wir darauf reagieren müssen. Teil des Zeitgesprächs: "Beschäftigung im Wandel: Wie KI, Demografie und Institutionen den Arbeitsmarkt verändern". In: Wirtschaftsdienst, Jg. 105, H. 10, S. 715-719. DOI:10.2478/wd-2025-0184

Abstract

"Generative künstliche Intelligenz (KI) verändert die Arbeitsmärkte, indem sie Aufgaben und Berufe, die Nachfrage nach Qualifikationen und die Machtverhältnisse zwischen Arbeitnehmern und Arbeitgebern verändert. Im Gegensatz zu früheren technologischen Umbrüchen betrifft KI auch Hochqualifizierte. Doch wie müssen wir darauf reagieren, wenn KI immer mehr Tätigkeiten übernehmen kann? Statt kurzfristiger Umschulungsprogramme braucht es langfristige Strategien, die die Widerstandsfähigkeit von Beschäftigten und Strukturen stärken – und so eine nachhaltige Anpassung des Arbeitsmarktes an die sich wandelnde technologische Landschaft ermöglichen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Tisch, Anita (2025): Menschengerechte Gestaltung von Arbeit in einer digitalisierten Arbeitswelt. In: Sozialmagazin H. 7/8, S. 91-97. DOI:10.3262/SM2508091

Abstract

"Die fortschreitende Digitalisierung verändert die Arbeitswelt und stellt auch das Sozialwesen vor neue Herausforderungen. Um diesen wirksam begegnen zu können und die Potenziale digitaler Technologien zu nutzen, sind klare Gestaltungsprinzipien wichtig. Der Beitrag beleuchtet, welche Bedeutung ausgewählte, von der Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin entwickelte Kriterien menschengerechter Arbeitsgestaltung haben." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Vasiakina, Mariia & Christian Dudel (2025): The hidden costs of technological change: investigating pathways through which highly automatable jobs undermine workers’ health in Germany. (MPIDR working paper / Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research 2025-032), Rostock, 29 S. DOI:10.4054/mpidr-wp-2025-032

Abstract

"The ongoing economic transformation driven by automation has significant social implications, particularly for the health and well-being of workers who face the risk of job displacement and the pressure to acquire new skills and qualifications. However, the specific pathways through which exposure to automation risk affects health outcomes remain poorly understood, and the relative contribution of each potential mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we examine the nature of the relationship between high workplace exposure to automation risk and a range of subjective health outcomes – including self-reported health, anxiety, and both physical and mental component summary scores from the SF-12 Health Survey – among workers in Germany. Using data from the German Socio-EconomicPanel (SOEP) linked with administrative records from the Occupational Panel for Germany (2014–2022), we apply the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) mediation analysis method to assess whether broader indicators of economic uncertainty, alongside automation-specific factors, mediate the relationship between high automation risk and workers’ health. Our results indicate that the negative impact of high automation risk on health in Germany primarily operates through indirect pathways (related to mediators) for both genders, with the exception of physical health among male workers, where a direct negative effect is also evident. Economic concerns – particularly job insecurity and worries about one’s future financial situation – emerge as more significant mediators than automation-specific factors. Overall, our findings suggest that the mechanisms linking high automation risk to health are gender- and context-sensitive, and are shaped by broader economic conditions and workplace environments." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Vivarelli, Marco & Guillermo Arenas Diaz (2025): Innovation and employment in the era of artificial intelligence. In the face of AI revolution, concerns about possible technological unemployment should be aware of the complex and mixed employment impacts of technological change. (IZA world of labor 154,2), Bonn, o. S. DOI:10.15185/izawol.154.v2

Abstract

"The relationship between technology and employment has always been a source of concern, at least since the first industrial revolution. However, while process innovation can be job-destroying (provided that its direct labor-saving effect is not compensated through market mechanisms), product innovation can imply the emergence of new firms, new sectors, and thus new jobs (provided that its welfare effect dominates the crowding out of old products). Nowadays, the topic is even more relevant because the world economy is undergoing a new technological revolution centred on automation and the diffusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Vodă, Adina-Maria, Mihai Ciobotea, Doina Badea, Monica Roman & Marian Stan (2025): The Interactions Between Digitalization, Innovation and Employment in European Companies: Insights from a Latent Class Analysis. In: Economies, Jg. 13, H. 4. DOI:10.3390/economies13040104

Abstract

"There is increasing concern regarding the association between technological change and jobs. This study explores how different patterns of digitalization and innovation relate to job creation in European companies. We use data from the European Company Survey 2019 collected by Eurofound and Cedefop. We apply Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to identify the typologies of companies, mainly based on their level of technology adoption, innovation practices and employment patterns. We showcase four distinct classes of companies: moderate adoption of digital technology and strong international orientation, traditional and local, medium digitalization, process innovative with local focus and digital leaders and innovators, with specific patterns regarding digitalization, innovation and job creation. The digital leaders and innovators class revealed a high level of digitalization and innovation and maintained stable employment levels, with increased investments in staff training and tendency towards automation. Conversely, less-digitalized traditional companies are more susceptible to stagnation or employment decline. In general, the employment outlook is stable, without significant employment growth, signaling the need for balanced investments in innovation and digitalization that stimulate more and better jobs. This is the first study to apply LCA to explore complex relationships between digitalization, innovation, foreign trade, training investments and employment trends and offers fresh insights into company views towards employment in the digital era." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Wang, Ping & Tsz-Nga Wong (2025): Artificial Intelligence and Technological Unemployment. (NBER working paper / National Bureau of Economic Research 33867), Cambridge, Mass, 53 S.

Abstract

"How large is the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on labor productivity and unemployment? This paper introduces a labor-search model of technological unemployment, conceptualizing the generative aspect of AI as a learning-by-using technology. AI capability improves through machine learning from workers and in turn enhances their labor productivity, but eventually displaces workers if wage renegotiation fails. Three distinct equilibria emerge: no AI, some AI with higher unemployment, or unbounded AI with sustained endogenous growth and little impact on employment. By calibrating to the U.S. data, our model predicts more than threefold improvements in productivity in some-AI steady state, alongside a long-run employment loss of 23%, with half this loss occurring over the initial five-year transition. Plausible change in parameter values could lead to global and local indeterminacy. The mechanism highlights the considerable uncertainty of AI's impacts in the presence of labor-market frictions. In the unbounded-AI equilibrium, technological unemployment would not occur. We further show that equilibria are inefficient despite adherence to the Hosios condition. By improving job-finding rate and labor productivity, the optimal subsidy to jobs facing the replacement risk of AI can generate a welfare gain from 26.6% in the short run to over 50% in the long run." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Warning, Anja (2025): Volkswirtschaftliche Perspektiven auf Künstliche Intelligenz. Rahmenbedingungen, Erwartungen, Befunde. In: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung (Hrsg.) (2025): Drei Denkwerkstätten - Neue Perspektiven für die Arbeit der Zukunft, Düsseldorf, S. 82-89.

Abstract

"KI und Generative KI bieten im aktuellen Strukturwandel hin zu einer stärker dienstleistungs- und wissensbasierten Ökonomie Möglichkeiten und Perspektiven wie keine technologische Entwicklung zuvor. Ob die erwarteten Produktivitätseffekte allerdings eintreten, hängt von verschiedenen Faktoren ab, auch von datenschutzrechtlichen Regelungen. Diese können Sicherheit bei der Nutzung von KI bedeuten, aber auch die Anwendungs- und Analysemöglichkeiten einschränken. Außerdem gilt es zu bedenken, dass KI-Anwendungen viele Aufgaben effizienter erledigen können, aber auch Energie und Ressourcen in Form von Strom, Servern, Rechenzentren und Leitungskapazität verbrauchen. So können sie die Green Economy unterstützen, belasten aber ihrerseits die Umwelt. Zudem können KI-Anwendungen zwar in Sekundenschnelle Analysen durchführen und Entscheidungen treffen, reproduzieren dabei aber vorhandenes Wissen und folgen den (Mainstream-)Denk- und Verhaltensmustern, mit denen sie trainiert wurden. Innovative und bahnbrechende Ideen werden wohl weiterhin der menschlichen Kreativität und dem menschlichen Erfindergeist vorbehalten bleiben." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Weber, Enzo & Gerd Zika (2025): Wegen KI könnten 800.00 Arbeitsplätze wegfallen und neu entstehen. Gastbeitrag. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung H. 19.11.2025 Frankfurt am Main.

Abstract

"Wie wird KI die Arbeitswelt verändern? Eine neue Studie wagt eine Prognose. Die zentrale Botschaft: Die Zahl der Arbeitsplätze bleibt weitgehend stabil, doch die Umwälzungen dahinter werden gewaltig sein." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, © Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

Zitatform

Weber, Enzo (2025): Wenn Ihr Job von KI betroffen ist, kann das eine große Chance sein. Gastbeitrag. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung H. 12.02.2025 Frankfurt am Main.

Abstract

"Künstliche Intelligenz ersetzt immer mehr Arbeitsplätze. Sie dringt in mehr und mehr Tätigkeitsbereiche vor. Mittlerweile sind auch viele hoch qualifizierte Jobs betroffen – Ärzte, Rechtsanwältinnen, Journalisten und viele andere. Wir müssen uns diesem Wandel anpassen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, © Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

Zitatform

Widuckel, Werner & Lutz Bellmann (2025): Nachhaltigkeit, berufliche Bildung und Personalentwicklung unter Berücksichtigung von KI. In: K. Gondlach, B. Brinkmann, M. Brinkmann & J. Plath (Eds.) (2025): Regenerative Zukünfte und künstliche Intelligenz, S. 73-82. DOI:10.1007/978-3-658-46577-3_7

Abstract

"Wie in vielen Ländern wird in Deutschland für den Klimaschutz umgebaut, um eine größere Energieeffizienz zu erreichen und mehr erneuerbare Energien einzusetzen. Es geht um nachhaltiges Wirtschaften, das nicht nur auf das Ziel der Gewinnmaximierung ausgerichtet ist, sondern auch soziale und ökologische Entwicklungsziele berücksichtigt. Betriebswirtschaftliche Vorteile wie Absatz- und Imagesteigerung, eine höhere Attraktivität als Arbeitgeber oder die Optimierung von Arbeitsabläufen sind mit höherem Gewinn und/oder niedrigeren Kosten verbunden. Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) kann z. B. in der Instandhaltung bei der Produktion, der Planung und der Qualitätssicherung mit wesentlichen Verbesserungen verbunden sein (Koch et al. 2022). Über das einzelne Unternehmen hinaus ist die gesamte Wirtschaft betroffen, die vor umwälzenden Herausforderungen wie der Dekarbonisierung von Dienstleistungs-, Produktions- und Reproduktionsprozessen, der Umstellung des Verkehrs und der Logistik oder dem Aufbau und Ausbau eines klimafreundlichen Gebäudemanagements steht (Messner 2022, S. 21)." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku, © Springer Nature)

Zitatform

Williamson, Harry, Dermot Coates, Kevin Daly, Keith FitzGerald & Neil Gannon (2025): Occupational exposures, complementarity and the potential consequences of A.I. for the labour market: some evidence from Ireland. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 59. DOI:10.1186/s12651-025-00418-w

Abstract

"The adoption of AI technology by industry could significantly disrupt our current understanding of “typical” economic activity. As AI comes to pervade more sectors and occupations over time, it is likely that this technology will give rise to challenges and risks but also opportunities and benefits. There is, however, a significant degree of uncertainty regarding how future waves of technological change will impact the economy, including the labour market. Recent research has found that 40% of employment globally is exposed to AI and that this rises to 60% of employment in advanced economies. We analyse exposure and complementarity in tandem in order to better understand the potential impact across occupation types in Ireland. We find that Ireland is relatively more exposed to AI than is the case for other advanced economies. We also find find that female workers in Ireland are more likely to work in highly exposed roles compared to males, that younger Irish workers are more exposed to AI than are older workers, and that both exposure complementarity to AI increase in line with educational attainment. Finally, we contend that the extent to which AI augments, or replaces, human labour in the medium to long-run will depend on a variety of economic, social and policy factors, including levels of AI regulation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Winters, Jutta & Jonathan P. Latner; David Autor (interviewte Person) (2025): Does automation replace experts or augment expertise? The answer is yes (Interview). In: IAB-Forum H. 09.01.2025. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20250109.01

Abstract

"David Autor, Professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), gives a Special Lecture at the IAB on 15 January 2025. In this accompanying interview, he discusses the impact of Artificial Intelligence on wages and employment, outlines the crucial role of expertise and gives insights on policy-approaches for supporting workers in rapidly changing labor markets." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Wohlrabe, Klaus (2025): Mehr KI, weniger Jobs? Was Unternehmen in Deutschland erwarten. In: ifo Schnelldienst digital, Jg. 6, H. 8, S. 1-12.

Abstract

"Die Nutzung von Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) in der deutschen Wirtschaft nimmt weiter zu – insbesondere in größeren Unternehmen. Auf Basis von Sonderfragen im Rahmen der monatlichen Konjunkturumfragen wird gezeigt: Derzeit fallen die direkten Beschäftigungseffekte von KI noch gering aus. Für die kommenden fünf Jahre wird jedoch deutlich häufiger ein Einfluss auf die Beschäftigtenzahl erwartet – vor allem in Form eines Stellenabbaus. Die Einschätzungen unterscheiden sich je nach Branche teils erheblich. Trotz zunehmender Praxiserfahrung bleibt eine deutliche Unsicherheit über die langfristigen Arbeitsmarktauswirkungen bestehen. Die Ergebnisse liefern einen ersten Einblick in die beschäftigungspolitischen Erwartungen von Unternehmen in Deutschland mit Blick auf KI." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Yuan, Bocong, Jiannan Li & Hairong Zhao (2025): Education pathways to mitigate automation anxiety: skill development as key for job satisfaction in the age of machines replacing human. In: International Journal of Manpower, Jg. 46, H. 9, S. 1676-1698. DOI:10.1108/ijm-02-2024-0093

Abstract

"Purpose: The application of intelligent machine in the workplace has led to increasing concern about technically induced unemployment. This study is to investigate the mechanism of how such risk affects the job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: We use the secondary data from SHARE (wave 8) and a longitudinal survey to examine the influence mechanism of how intelligent machine job substitution risk affects job satisfaction. Findings: Results show that intelligent machine job substitution risk has a negative impact on job satisfaction. Besides, skill development opportunity mediates the negative relation between intelligent machine job substitution risk and job satisfaction. Further, work support buffers the negative relation between intelligent machine job substitution risk and skill development opportunity, while enhancing the positive relation between skill development opportunity and job satisfaction. Originality/value: This study is the first to examine the mediation role of skill development opportunity in the relation between the intelligent machine job substitution risk and job satisfaction. Also, this study is the first to explore the role of work support in the above relation. This study enriches relevant research regarding the intelligent machine application in workplace and provides important insights for organization management." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

Zitatform

Zeyer-Gliozzo, Birgit (2025): Returns to formal, non-formal, and informal further training for workers at risk of automation. In: Journal of education and work, Jg. 17. DOI:10.1080/13639080.2024.2447037

Abstract

"The automation of job tasks due to technological change increases the pressure on workers whose jobs consist largely of such activities. In this context, politics and science attach great importance to further training, although the benefits for affected workers have hardly been investigated. Drawing on human capital theory and the task-based approach, this study examines the effect of further training on job tasks and the probability of automation for workers at risk of automation. These are workers who (a) work in routine intense jobs or (b) have a high probability of automation, based on the expert assessment of the automatability of occupations by Frey and Osborne (2017). Using data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), fixed-effects models are estimated to account for unobserved heterogeneity. The results show that informal further training is most effective in increasing non-routine tasks and reducing routine tasks and the probability of automation. Formal and non-formal training also show returns in some cases, although these are often not significant. The results thus suggest that not all forms of further training are helpful in adapting to new demands in the course of technological change and provide starting points for future research." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Zhang, Su, Xiaolin Wang, Yan Xia & Huijuan Wang (2025): The AI Redemption: How technology is rewriting the rules of cross-industry labor mobility. In: International Review of Economics and Finance, Jg. 103. DOI:10.1016/j.iref.2025.104575

Abstract

"This study considers the evolution and iteration of digital technology, conducting both theoretical and empirical research on the effects of information technology and artificial intelligence technology on cross-industry labor mobility. Theoretically, we construct a general equilibrium model that includes labor and digital technology to analyze the intrinsic mechanisms by which digital technology affects cross-industry labor mobility. Empirically, using the probit model and the instrumental variable approach, we find robust evidence of a significant positive effect of digital technology on cross-industry labor mobility through the pooled four-wave data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2014 to 2020. The findings indicate that digital technology significantly promotes cross-industry labor mobility. Mechanism analysis reveals that information technology, represented by computers, drives low-skilled labor towards non-skill-intensive industries through substitution and productivity effects, while artificial intelligence technology promotes the flow of both low-skilled and high-skilled labor towards skill-intensive industries through “de-skilling” and “re-skilling”. The impact of digital technology on cross-industry labor mobility varies significantly across different genders, the type of hukou, age, and employment types. Further mechanism analysis suggests that digital technology facilitates higher wage gains by promoting cross-industry labor mobility." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.) ((en))

Zitatform

Zhou, Yongguang, Weihong Xie, Jingwu Li & Qun Li (2025): Effects of digital innovation on income inequality among different workforces: evidence from Chinese industries. In: Applied Economics, Jg. 57, H. 22, S. 2809-2821. DOI:10.1080/00036846.2024.2331424

Abstract

"To understand the impact of digital innovation on the workforce and its role in achieving common prosperity, this paper uses data from Chinese A-share listed companies during 2006–2021 to investigate the effects of digital innovation on income inequality among different industry-level groups. We find that digital innovation significantly reduces income inequality among employees across industries, but it does not significantly impact income inequality within management groups. Through mechanistic analysis, we find that digital innovation decreases income inequality among ordinary employees whose incomes are closely linked to company performance and thereby for the entire workforce by narrowing the income gap across industries. However, as digital innovation does not significantly influence evaluation systems (e.g. educational degrees) for management income, it does not contribute to reducing income inequality among managerial levels. These findings provide valuable insights to develop policies for common prosperity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Zika, Gerd, Theresa-Marie Hassemer, Markus Hummel, Bennet Krebs, Tobias Maier, Anke Mönnig, Christian Schneemann, Enzo Weber & Johanna Zenk (2025): Künstliche Intelligenz: Potenzielle Effekte für den deutschen Arbeitsmarkt. (IAB-Forschungsbericht 23/2025), Nürnberg, 58 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FB.2523

Abstract

"Die fortschreitende Entwicklung und Integration von Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) prägt zunehmend die globalen Märkte und Arbeitsweisen und hat auch in Deutschland einen immer größeren Einfluss. Deshalb wird mit der vorliegenden Szenarioanalyse für einen Zeitraum von 15 Jahren untersucht, welchen Einfluss KI auf die Entwicklung von Wirtschaft und Arbeitsmarkt in Deutschland entfalten könnte. Um Aussagen über potenzielle Effekte eines KI-Szenarios treffen zu können, müssen entsprechende Annahmen getroffen werden. Anschließend wird das KI-Szenario mit einem Referenz-Szenario verglichen. Im KI-Szenario wird unterstellt, dass die notwendige Infrastruktur für die KI-Entwicklung und -Integration vorhanden ausgebaut wird. Insbesondere muss ausreichend Rechenkapazität in Rechenzentren verfügbar sein. Zudem wird KI je nach Branche unterschiedlich stark zum Einsatz kommen. So müssen von den Betrieben der jeweiligen Branchen unterschiedlich hohe Vorlaufinvestitionen getätigt werden. Dabei ist zu erwarten, dass die Wirkung des KI-Einsatzes je nach Branche unterschiedlich ausfallen wird. In manchen Branchen können Materialeinsparungen, in anderen Produktivitätssteigerungen oder neue Absatzmöglichkeiten realisiert werden. In vielen Branchen dürften diese Effekte auch in Kombination auftreten. Schließlich entwickeln auch andere Länder KI und wenden diese an. Für das KI-Szenario wird deshalb angenommen, dass die Wirkungen im Ausland insgesamt ähnlich ausfallen werden wie in Deutschland, mit den entsprechenden Effekten auf deutsche Importpreise. Den Berechnungen zufolge lässt sich durch KI insbesondere mittel- und langfristig eine deutlich höhere Wertschöpfung bei nahezu gleichem Arbeitseinsatz erzielen als im Referenz-Szenario. Unter den getroffenen Annahmen kann das jährliche Wirtschaftswachstum um durchschnittlich 0,8 Prozentpunkte höher liegen als im Referenz-Szenario. Kumuliert über die nächsten 15 Jahre könnten so 4,5 Billionen Euro an zusätzlicher Wertschöpfung erwirtschaftet werden. Die Zahl an Arbeitsplätzen liegt im KI-Szenario nach 15 Jahren insgesamt auf einem ähnlichen Niveau wie im Referenz-Szenario. Dennoch zeigen sich deutliche Verschiebungen am Arbeitsmarkt. So gibt es Wirtschaftsbereiche, in denen der Arbeitskräftebedarf steigt, während in anderen Bereichen Arbeitsplätze verloren gehen. Zu Beginn der verstärkten KI-Entwicklung und -Integration ist zunächst mit einem insgesamt höheren Arbeitskräftebedarf zu rechnen, um beispielsweise die benötigte Infrastruktur bereitzustellen, Daten zu erschließen oder Modelle zu entwickeln. Mittelfristig kommt es zu einem etwas geringeren Arbeitskräftebedarf aufgrund zunehmender Effizienzgewinne. Gegen Ende des Projektionszeitraums besteht jedoch Potenzial, diese Arbeitsplatzverluste wieder auszugleichen. Dabei zieht insbesondere die Entwicklung neuer Geschäftsmodelle einen höheren Arbeitskräftebedarf nach sich. Insgesamt gleichen sich die gegenläufigen Effekte auf die Beschäftigung weitgehend aus. Im KI-Szenario führt der Einsatz von KI unterm Strich also nicht ausschließlich zu positiven oder negativen Effekten auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Vielmehr kommt es in einigen Bereichen zu Verschiebungen. Bei den IT- und Informationsdienstleistern liegt die Zahl der Erwerbstätigen nach 15 Jahren beispielsweise um rund 110.000 Personen höher als im Referenz-Szenario. Hingegen liegt die Zahl der Erwerbstätigen bei den Unternehmensdienstleistern im KI-Szenario zum gleichen Zeitpunkt um rund 120.000 Personen niedriger. Eine KI-induzierte Absenkung der Erwerbstätigenzahlen ist jedoch nicht zwingend mit einer Verschlechterung der Arbeitsmarktlage verbunden. Vielmehr könnten knappe Personalressourcen langfristig effizienter eingesetzt werden, wodurch Potenzial besteht, etwaige Arbeitskräfteengpässe in anderen Bereichen zu reduzieren. Gleichzeitig ist zu erwarten, dass ein verstärkter KI-Einsatz die Anforderungen an die Beschäftigten verändern wird. So dürften insbesondere hochqualifizierte Tätigkeiten stärker von KI-Anwendungen betroffen sein als von Entwicklungen im Bereich klassischer nicht-lernender Software." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Zou, Wei, Liming Zheng & Ruiqi Ma (2025): Can inequality and intergenerational upward mobility coexist: the impact of skill-biased technological change. In: Applied Economics Letters, S. 1-8. DOI:10.1080/13504851.2025.2550571

Abstract

"We extend the Maoz and Moav (1999) model by introducing a CES production function to examine the impact of skill-biased technological change (SBTC) on inequality and intergenerational upward mobility. Our study shows that (1) when the production function shifts from a Cobb-Douglas form to a CES form, high-skilled workers rapidly converge to a unique steady state; (2) while SBTC exacerbates inequality, it raises the steady-state number of high-skilled workers, establishing a positive correlation between inequality and intergenerational upward mobility." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Zwysen, Wouter & Bianca Luna Fabris (2025): Digital labour and welfare regimes: The impact of the institutional context on the prevalence of platform work. In: Competition and Change, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1177/10245294251349484

Abstract

"Platform work is on the rise across Europe, but not similarly across countries as shown from the as yet limited cross-national research. This study sets out to analyze how structural differences in the organization of the economy and welfare state shape individual’s engagement with platform work and particularly (1) the take-up of platform work; and (2) the extent to which the more economically vulnerable are overrepresented. In a context where the labour market is more regulated, workers are more protected, and there is a more generous safety net, there is less need to engage in generally precarious platform work. This study makes use of two comparable cross-national datasets on engagement in platform work across Europe. We find indications that platform work is generally less likely in countries where there is greater social spending and redistribution, higher passive labour market policy spending, and lower labour market dualization. Such factors, namely, social security and the regulation of the labour market, particularly protect more vulnerable workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

ten Berge, Jannes & Fabian Dekker (2025): New technology and workers’ perceived impact on job quality: Does labor organization matter? In: Economic and Industrial Democracy, Jg. 46, H. 2, S. 619-654. DOI:10.1177/0143831x241265911

Abstract

"There is an emerging literature focusing on the impact of technological change on work quality. This study contributes to the literature by examining (1) workers’ expectations regarding the effect of technological change on perceived job insecurity, as well as physical and psychological job demands, and (2) how these expectations are shaped by the degree of labor organization within countries. The article uses cross-national data for 25 OECD countries. It is found that labor organization decreases perceived levels of job insecurity related to technological change, but also lowers workers’ expectations of technology improving the quality of their work. These findings may indicate that in environments where technological change is less strongly moderated by organized labor, workers put greater emphasis on technology as a driver of (short-term) work changes. Alternatively, these findings may signal a lack of ‘worker power’ of organized labor to enforce technologies that improve the quality of employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"Instead of flexi-work and increased labor participation for women, the platform economy has deepened intersectional inequalities—of gender, class, geography, and race—making women workers more vulnerable. At the Beijing+30 conjuncture, we urgently need multi-scalar policy responses that can get our institutions ready for a feminist future of work. To explore the building blocks of this imperative, IT for Change, DAWN, and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) convened a series of four consultations in the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, and Latin America in February 2025, bringing together 50+ feminist scholars, practitioners, gender equality experts, lawyers focused on labor rights, and trade union representatives." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

(2025): Aspekte zu den Auswirkungen der Digitalisierung auf den deutschen Arbeitsmarkt. (Sachstand / Deutscher Bundestag, Wissenschaftliche Dienste), Berlin, 21 S.

Abstract

"Im Zusammenhang mit dem digitalen Wandel der Arbeitswelt wird in Deutschland von der sogenannten „Arbeit 4.0“ gesprochen.1 „Durch den Einzug neuer Technologien wird Arbeit vernetzter, digitaler und flexibler. Aufgabenprofile, Arbeitsabläufe und Berufsbilder ändern sich oder entstehen gänzlich neu. Dies betrifft sowohl die Produktionsarbeit als auch die Wissens- und Entwicklungsarbeit. Dabei geht Arbeit 4.0 über die rein technologische Perspektive hinaus und führt zu tiefgreifenden Änderungen der Organisations- und Führungsstrukturen sowie zu einer Anpassung der Unternehmenskultur.“ An die Wissenschaftlichen Dienste des Deutschen Bundestages wurde die Frage herangetragen, welche Auswirkungen die Digitalisierung auf die Arbeitswelt seit 2005 hatte. Dieser Sachstand beschäftigt sich mit Aspekten zu den Auswirkungen der Digitalisierung auf den deutschen Arbeitsmarkt. Thematisiert werden in diesem Zusammenhang die Gesamtbeschäftigung sowie verschiedene Entwicklungen im Rahmen einzelner Berufsfelder. Konkret werden Entstehung und Wegfall einzelner Berufe, das Substituierbarkeitspotenzial von Berufen, die Zu- und Abnahme der Beschäftigten einzelner Berufe sowie die Entwicklung von Kerntätigkeiten und die Rolle von Weiterbildungsmaßnahmen beleuchtet. Darüber hinaus wird die Arbeitsmarktpolarisierung sowie Lohnentwicklungen und die Verteilung von sozialversicherungspflichtiger Beschäftigten und Selbständigen vor dem Hintergrund neuer Geschäftsmodelle dargestellt und insbesondere die Gruppe der Solo-Selbstständigen näher betrachtet." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

(2025): D21-Digital-Index 2024/2025. Jährliches Lagebild zur Digitalen Gesellschaft. (D21-Digital-Index), Berlin, 41 S.

Abstract

"Der D21-Digital-Index ist Deutschlands wichtigstes Lagebild zur Digitalisierung der Gesellschaft. Er zeigt, wie tief die digitale Transformation verschiedene Lebensbereiche durchdringt und wie gut Bürger*innen mit den Anforderungen des Wandels umgehen können. Gleichzeitig offenbart er Spaltungen und Herausforderungen: Wer profitiert, wer droht abgehängt zu werden? Der D21-Digital-Index ist mehr als eine Analyse: Er ist Basis für wirkungsvolles Handeln von Politik, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, um die Resilienz im digitalen Wandel zu stärken und gemeinsam eine inklusive digitale Zukunft zu gestalten, in der alle von den Chancen der Digitalisierung profitieren. Im Fokus steht in diesem Jahr der digitale Wandel als Treiber für weitere Transformationsprozesse, etwa bei der Wertschöpfung, beim Informations- und Kommunikationsverhalten oder beim ökologischen Wandel. Denn unsere Gesellschaft befindet sich inmitten eines tiefgreifenden Wandels. Der D21-Digital-Index begleitet sie in dieser Transformation seit vielen Jahren. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt der Studie liegt auf der digitalen Bildung und den Kompetenzen, die für eine souveräne und kritische Nutzung digitaler Technologien erforderlich sind. Zudem wird untersucht, wie die Bevölkerung den Einsatz Künstlicher Intelligenz wahrnimmt: Welche Erwartungen, Chancen und Bedenken gibt es? Welche Faktoren beeinflussen die Akzeptanz neuer KI-Technologien im Alltag? Wie steht es um das Bewusstsein für die Transformationskraft von KI, insbesondere für die Beschäftigungschancen?" (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

(2025): OECD Skills Outlook 2025. Building the Skills of the 21st Century for All. (OECD skills outlook), Paris, 261 S. DOI:10.1787/26163cd3-en

Abstract

"The OECD Skills Outlook 2025 examines how countries can build the 21st-century skills needed to sustain growth and social progress. It explores how differences in background, education and opportunity shape who develops, uses and benefits from key skills such as literacy, numeracy and adaptive problem solving. Differential access to skills development limits the potential of many, thereby constraining economic performance. Socio-economic background strongly influences who builds skills that are valued in the labour market, whereas differences between men and women appear mainly in how skills are used and rewarded. As skill demands evolve faster than policy cycles, investing in lifelong learning and using timely labour-market intelligence are crucial to help people adapt, strengthen productivity and ensure that no one is left behind in a changing world." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

(2025): Education Policy Outlook 2025. Nurturing Engaged and Resilient Lifelong Learners in a World of Digital Transformation. (OECD Education Policy Perspectives), Paris, 153 S. DOI:10.1787/c3f402ba-en

Abstract

"Lifelong learning is essential for building inclusive, resilient and future-ready societies. Yet, rapid digitalisation and demographic shifts are changing how, when and why people learn throughout life. This report explores how countries and economies can strengthen individuals’ agency as lifelong learners, supporting people to take an active role in identifying, acquiring and applying new knowledge and skills across diverse contexts. It views lifelong learners as individuals who mobilise their will, skills and means to keep learning and adapting. The report identifies four critical life moments when individuals are particularly open to learning – or at risk of disengagement – and when well-targeted policy support can make the greatest difference: early childhood, mid-to-late adolescence, mid-career and approaching retirement. Drawing on analysis of 230 policies across 35 education systems, as well as international evidence and policy developments, the report explores how countries design and implement lifelong learning policies. In doing so, the report aims to support countries in advancing the goals set by the 2022 OECD Declaration on Building Equitable Societies Through Education. This publication is part of the Education Policy Outlook series – the OECD’s analytical observatory of education policy." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

(2025): Smarter Workplaces: The Role of AI in Promoting Occupational Safety and Health. Potsdam, 16 September 2025. Proceedings. (baua: Fokus), Dortmund, 42 S. DOI:10.21934/baua:focus20250729

Abstract

"Tagungsbericht des Workshops AI4POSH - Smarter Workplaces: The Role of AI in Promoting Occupational Safety and Health, welcher im Rahmen der 48. Deutschen KI-Konferenz in Potsdam vom 16.-19. September 2025, stattgefunden hat. Der Workshop wurde von PD Dr. Thea Radüntz, der Gruppenleitung der Fachgruppe "Künstliche Intelligenz in der Arbeitswelt" der Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin organisiert. Der Workshop AI4POSH beleuchtete die vielfältige und wachsende Rolle von Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) in der Entwicklung gesunder, sicherer und menschzentrierter Arbeitsplätze. Die Beiträge umfassten vielfältige Anwendungen in den Bereichen Gesundheitsförderung am Arbeitsplatz, Arbeitsmedizin, psychische Gesundheit, algorithmisches Management, Risikobewertung und KI-gestützte Operationen. Die Beiträge betrachteten sowohl das Potenzial als auch die Herausforderungen von KI: von technischen Innovationen wie Sensornetzwerken und Bildanalyse bis hin zu menschenzentrierten Themen wie digitale Souveränität, Engagement und Arbeitsbelastungsmanagement. Zusammen spiegeln diese Arbeiten eine interdisziplinäre Bemühung wider, KI zur Förderung der Sicherheit und Gesundheit am Arbeitsplatz zu nutzen und gleichzeitig ihre Auswirkungen auf Arbeitnehmer und Organisationen kritisch zu untersuchen. Ziel des AI4POSH Workshops war es folglich, durch die kritische Analyse des Einflusses von intelligenten Systemen auf moderne Arbeitsplätze, einen Beitrag in der Entwicklung von sicheren, zugänglichen und fairen Arbeitsumfeldern im KI-Zeitalter, zu leisten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Abstract

"Die Studie „Digital Skills Gap 2025“ macht sichtbar, wie unterschiedlich digitale Kompetenzen in verschiedenen gesellschaftlichen Gruppen ausgeprägt sind. Sie geht dabei über klassische soziodemografische Unterschiede hinaus und richtet den Blick gezielt auf die Lebenslagen der Menschen: Einkommen, Wohnsituation, berufliche Stellung – all das prägt maßgeblich, wie gut jemand für die digitale Arbeits- und Lebenswelt gerüstet ist. Gleichzeitig werden Ungleichheiten offengelegt: Wer baut seine Kompetenzen stetig aus, wer droht im digitalen Alltag zurückzufallen? Die Studie ist mehr als eine Bestandsaufnahme. Sie liefert für Politik, Wirtschaft und Zivilgesellschaft fundierte Handlungsimpulse, um Hürden abzubauen, Lernwege zu öffnen und eine chancengerechte Entwicklung digitaler Kompetenzen zu ermöglichen. Denn digitale Teilhabe ist kein Luxus – sie ist Voraussetzung für soziale Gerechtigkeit und wirtschaftliche Zukunftsfähigkeit." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)