"I have a job today, but will there be one tomorrow?"
More salaried workers are asking themselves this question, especially after major global tech companies announced layoffs to focus on AI investment. Recently, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) reported that over 2.2 million Thais are at risk of losing their jobs to AI.
Amid such uncertainty, how should we respond?
Although AI is not yet a tangible entity, it has become an indispensable part of our world. Especially with Agentic AI, which not only answers questions but can analyze, plan, act, and self-correct continuously in an end-to-end process. Some people use AI to organize their schedules, serve as personal assistants replying to emails, or manage computer files.
This may be the reason why the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) released its latest report showing the growing impact of AI on the workforce, with both positive and negative effects. It warns that over 2.2 million Thais may be replaced by AI, sparking concerns about job losses due to AI.
Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the NESDC, explained that out of Thailand's 40.1 million workers, about 8.7 million (21.8%) will be affected by generative AI. Among them, 2.2 million workers (5.4% of the workforce) are at risk of having their jobs replaced by AI, especially tasks that are repetitive or follow fixed patterns, where AI might fully or partially substitute human work.
Most of these 2.2 million workers have at least a bachelor's degree. They mainly work in medium-skill roles such as clerks, secretaries, customer service, public relations, contact center agents, and accounting staff, followed by higher-skill jobs like marketing, investment consultants, analysts, and software developers.
On the positive side, about 6.5 million workers (16.3%) use AI to support their work. Notably, 72.7% of them have education below a bachelor's degree, with an average monthly income of 21,506 baht, an average age of 42.3 years, and mostly work in Bangkok and its vicinity. Many professions adapt AI to their tasks, including salespeople, managers and executives, human resources personnel, and delivery workers who use AI to check traffic or weather conditions.
However, a concern is that as AI advances, companies may hire fewer fresh graduates, believing AI can replace entry-level jobs. Also, some workers with medium to high skills may accept lower qualifications or switch to lower-skill jobs, such as becoming delivery riders.
Even jobs like financial data analysis and software development may be replaced by AI. So, which skills should desk workers develop to survive AI's encroachment?
JobsDB suggests that although AI can learn, analyze, and make decisions replacing some human tasks, it cannot fully understand emotions, context, or creativity like humans. Therefore, jobs requiring soft skills remain irreplaceable. They highlight six promising professions:
1. Medical personnel, such as doctors and nurses, who need empathy, patience, and the ability to adapt to situations—skills AI cannot replicate.
2. Teachers and educators, since learning styles vary individually, AI can assist but cannot replace the human element in making learning engaging.
3. Psychologists and mental health counselors, professions relying on deep listening and empathetic emotional understanding, which AI currently cannot perform effectively.
4. Salespeople and marketers, although AI can analyze consumer behavior and design campaigns, human skills are still needed to build relationships, persuade, and understand customer psychology.
5. Lawyers, attorneys, and judges, where legal work requires analytical thinking, flexibility, and decisions considering human contexts.
6. Athletes and sports coaches, careers AI cannot replace because athletes must perform physically, and coaches must continuously motivate athletes. While AI can help schedule training, it cannot substitute these roles.
Finally, key skills to handle an AI-dominated world are: Critical Thinking, since AI excels at data processing, but humans are needed to make decisions in incomplete information scenarios and to build trust. Building Connections, which facilitates smoother work relationships, and Flexibility and adaptability to new challenges. Use AI as a tool, not let AI replace us.
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