Jed Simpfendorfer.
Jed Simpfendorfer, Partner & Director Strategy – T garage.
You can’t open a screen these days without a headline screaming that “AI is coming for your job… your relationship… maybe even your dog.”
Nothing anxiety-provoking about that?
But if you read beyond the panic, the picture gets a little more balanced. Goldman Sachs* suggests that while around 6–7% of jobs may be directly disrupted, most of those effects dissipate within a couple of years as people retrain or shift roles. In fact, they estimate a potential 15% productivity lift across developed economies.
Predicting the future is a messy business. Just look at the original Blade Runner: flying cars everywhere, yet people still used public phone boxes. It’s hard to pick what will change and what will stick.
So at T garage, we went beyond our SaySo panel to ask Australians how they’re feeling about AI a few years into this journey.
What do we see as the most disruptive forces ahead?
What forces do you think will be most disruptive to your work or career in the future?
When asked which forces are likely to disrupt their career or future work, Australians pointed first and foremost to AI, with slightly stronger concern among younger generations.
That said, only around half of Australians believe AI will significantly disrupt their own role. We’re aware of AI, but not overwhelmed by it.
Other disruptive forces included industry-specific change and global economic shifts. For many, AI feels like another layer added to an already complex landscape.
Is AI here to take your job, or make you more effective?
Do you see AI as more of a tool to make you more effective at work, or as a threat to your current role?
Australians are fairly split. Some see AI as a tool to enhance their effectiveness; others see it as a potential threat.
The generation most uncertain is Gen X. They were the least likely to see AI as helpful and the most unsure about its implications. After decades of workplace change, this may simply reflect fatigue from the changes they’ve already experienced.
Gen Z, meanwhile, are more optimistic but not naïve. They expect disruption, they expect to adapt, and they’re preparing for it. Hopeful, but clear-eyed.
So how are we feeling about the future of work?
Do you look to the future of work with a sense of optimism, or pessimism?
B2B = Bottom 2 Box, T2B = Top 2 Box
Overall, Australia leans slightly optimistic. Gen Z were the most positive about the future of work, while Gen X were more neutral.
What drives these views?
Optimists:
Hybrid work, learning opportunities, evolving roles, and the promise of new skills.
Pessimists:
Job risk, instability, and broader economic uncertainty.
Gender differences were also telling.
Women: tended to emphasise well-being, fairness, accessibility, and the human benefits new technology might bring.
Men were more focused on efficiency, performance, and macroeconomic unpredictability.
Gen X were the most cautious overall. They raised questions about corporate priorities, economic volatility, and whether the benefits of AI would genuinely flow to individuals or just to organisations.
Across generations, there’s a growing expectation for real responsibility from corporations and global leaders. And as we saw in last month’s article, this demand for trust, transparency, and social responsibility continues to be driven strongly by the older workforce.
How are we responding to the changing employment landscape?
Have you participated in any training or development opportunities in the last 6 months?
When asked whether they’d participated in training or development in the past six months, Gen Z stood out, being nearly twice as likely as Millennials or Gen X to say yes.
Several factors may be at play: curiosity, career stage, openness to new tools, and a clear desire to stay relevant as AI reshapes work.
What does this mean for work?
People don’t just want training; they want technical confidence.
The number one request across generations?
Digital literacy and practical tech skills.
Younger workers want education providers to step up. Older generations want hands-on workshops they can use tomorrow.
And as we all learn, we’ll be closely watching how organisations behave.
Treat people with respect and transparency, and trust grows.
Do the opposite, and it erodes fast, especially in a tech-accelerated world where trust gaps widen quickly.
Want more on workforce trends? Check out our previous AdNews piece on generational needs in the workplace. https://www.adnews.com.au/opinion/in-the-trends-is-the-generational-divide-at-work-overblown
A big shout-out to Amir Sharif for leading this work.
Source: Goldman Sachs, “How Will AI Affect the Global Workforce,” Aug 13, 2025.