IMF chief warns AI could hit labor market "like a tsunami," threatening up to 60% of jobs

Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva believes that the rapid penetration of artificial intelligence could radically reshape the global labor market. She said that on Sunday at the G20 summit in South Africa.

According to her, the global economy is performing better than expected after all the shocks of recent years – COVID, war, trade tensions – but worse than necessary.

The IMF believes that artificial intelligence can become a driver of the economy, adding about 1 percentage point to global growth.

"But we need to recognize that AI is penetrating our societies extremely rapidly. Not all countries are ready. We see in advanced economies potentially 60 percent of jobs affected, in emerging markets economies 40 percent, and in low-income countries this is 26 percent. So, AI is like a tsunami hitting the labor market," she said.

Georgieva called on governments to invest in digital systems and education, and to create rules that promote innovation but do not favor machines over people.

• In July 2025, Microsoft Research published a list of 40 professions that most closely overlap with the capabilities of generative artificial intelligence. It includes translators, marketers, web developers, journalists, and even models.