AI is increasingly replacing corporate jobs without much fanfare. As companies adopt agentic AI tools that can complete multistep tasks, workforce reductions are quietly underway. Roles in areas like customer support, legal processing, and junior IT functions are most affected, with layoffs happening during broader corporate restructuring efforts.

This trend is happening globally.

Reports show that many U.S. firms are integrating AI systems capable of replacing entire departments, often pausing new hires or quietly restructuring teams. In the U.S., tech layoffs linked to AI have led to nearly 78,000 job losses in the first half of 2025 alone. Even roles traditionally seen as white-collar, such as data entry, basic programming, and marketing operations, are being automated.

In Pakistan, the threat of AI runs deeper. Key sectors like textile manufacturing, retail, banking, construction, and the informal economy are beginning to adopt automation. AI-driven looms, chatbots in banks, and drone-based farming tools are reducing manual roles, especially among low-skilled workers. According to recent labor data, tens of millions in these sectors could face displacement if automation expands rapidly.

That said, Pakistan’s IT and tech ecosystem remains a foothold in this shifting landscape. While many elementary service roles may be at risk, professionals in AI development, data science, cybersecurity, and advanced freelancing continue to see rising demand. In fact, AI projects are creating new opportunities, though access currently remains limited due to digital literacy gaps, especially among rural youth and women.

Experts warn that without swift action, Pakistan could become a passive victim of automation. Reskilling programs (focusing on AI-adjacent skills, technical fluency, and human-machine collaboration) are critical. Some businesses are making early attempts at retraining, though large-scale coordination is still lacking. Think tank proposals call for public-private retraining initiatives, mobile skill labs, and localized AI education in Urdu.

Ultimately, AI-related layoffs are a defining trend in the corporate world, and Pakistan is not immune. The question is not whether jobs will change, but whether workers and policy-makers can adapt ahead of the shift.