AI reshapes jobs: Hybrid roles emerge as technology augments, not replaces, human workers

2026-02-26 - 12:22

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its widespread adoption by companies seeking operational efficiency has triggered massive layoffs across the tech sector, but industry experts argue the narrative of wholesale job elimination misses a more nuanced transformation. The International Monetary Fund reports that technological development and energy transition are creating demand for skills that did not exist a decade ago, particularly in cloud computing, data visualization, and big data analysis. Calculators Didn't Replace Teachers Fatih Uysal, CEO of Turkish employment platform Kariyer.net, draws historical perspective: "Calculators didn't replace teachers—they transformed education." He argues that AI should be evaluated similarly, noting that while routine and data-intensive tasks become automated, uniquely human requirements like analytical thinking, creativity, empathy, and strategic decision-making will become more valuable. "We are witnessing the rise of professionals with high data literacy," Uysal said, highlighting increasing numbers of hybrid positions bridging technical skills and traditional business knowledge. Sectors Transformed, Not Eliminated Uysal points to the legal sector as a prime example, where job listings are expected to outperform general trends by approximately 28 points in 2024 and 31 points in 2025. "The rise of new domains like regulation, data protection, and AI governance shows that the legal field positions AI as a tool that will boost work capacity instead of threatening it," he explained. Finance and human resources are similarly using AI as decision-making support systems, allowing professionals to focus on higher value-added work. "Of course, the scope of some roles will narrow and some skills will lose their importance, but what we're seeing is the rise of new hybrid positions," Uysal concluded. "It's not about replacing humans but about boosting human capacity."