The payment services company Klarna plans to cut 700 jobs, which is an example of the pressure that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to exert on the labor market. Customer service is one of the areas highlighted as particularly vulnerable to the impact of AI, according to a report from the Swedish Higher Vocational Education Authority (MYH), which was recently submitted to the government.

The MYH report emphasizes that ongoing technological developments are expected to affect all occupations and sectors to some extent. Unlike previous technological shifts, this new wave of innovations is expected to have a particularly significant impact on highly educated and specialized occupations.

According to the report from MYH and the reference to a study by the International Monetary Fund, it is not just a matter of simpler tasks being automated. Even highly skilled and specialized jobs can be replaced by AI, which could put pressure on professions that require extensive training and a high degree of specialization.

As examples of professions expected to be significantly affected by the rise of AI, MYH cites, among others, accounting clerks, legal assistants, and healthcare administrators. These professions are predicted to disappear either entirely or in part as a result of automation and AI integration.

Mats Persson, who has received the report from the Swedish Higher Education Authority (MYH) and a similar one from the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ), points out that the labor market is undergoing a major transformation.

“They show that the labor market is undergoing massive change; many jobs will be affected, and education must therefore be overhauled,” he says.

Although some individuals risk losing their jobs as a result of AI, the report emphasizes that people’s job duties are changing rather than disappearing entirely. Routine tasks may be taken over by AI assistants, while more specialized professional roles are expected to become even more important. For example, automation engineers in the industrial sector can expect AI to take over simpler tasks, while humans will be able to focus on more creative problem-solving and advanced technical management.

Given the accelerating development of AI, it is clear that preparations and adjustments are needed to address the coming changes in the labor market.

“Many degree programs need to incorporate more elements of AI, technology, and mathematics—something they currently lack. This could include, for example, law, social work, and teacher education programs,” says Mats Persson.

The green transition requires more people to choose to study mathematics and engineering. And according to the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education, there is significant interest in AI programs.

Sources: The report *The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Higher Vocational Education Programs* and *Dagens Nyheter*.