The findings challenge recent reports that AI adoption will lead to a drop in entry-level roles, as the technology automates many of their tasks.
The Employment Hero report, however, found 68% of firms are expecting positive workforce change over outright cuts, including 50% who expect existing roles to be refocused.
According to the findings, only 19% of businesses expect their workforce to remain the same over the next 12 months.
Replacement anxiety hits Kiwis
The findings come in the wake of replacement anxiety hitting the workforce, with 34% of workers saying AI is making them feel more replaceable.
More than a third of employees (36%) also believe AI is making them more vulnerable to layoffs, while another 42% agree that using AI too much shows they aren’t needed.