Global youth unemployment rises amid AI disruption

“A generation that cannot find decent work cannot build its future with confidence. When young people are locked out of quality employment, countries lose talent, productivity and social cohesion,” Houngbo said.

“Creating decent jobs for young people is not just a social imperative, it is one of the smartest investments a country can make.”

AI’s impact on youth unemployment

Technological disruption, particularly the advance of artificial intelligence, is compounding the challenge, according to the findings.

The report estimates that 6.1% of jobs held by young workers aged 15 to 29 are in occupations highly exposed to AI-driven change, many of them the same middle-skilled clerical, administrative and service roles that have traditionally served as entry points into the labour market.

“If only 10% of the jobs exposed to AI were to disappear in full, it would translate into 5.6 million employed youth – largely in high-income countries – facing unemployment, changing jobs, or exiting the labour force,” the ILO report said.