AI Fears Drive 40% of German Workers to Hunt for New Jobs, Works Councils Step In
23.06.2026 - 21:28:43 | boerse-global.de
Nearly two in five German professionals are actively job-hunting because they worry about artificial intelligence — and 14 percent are even thinking of leaving their careers entirely within two years. The figures come from an Adaptavist survey of 2,500 skilled workers and paint a stark picture of the human side of automation.
At the same time, a growing number of works councils are pushing back to ensure AI supports employees rather than sidelines them. A landmark example is the group works council at MAN Truck & Bus, which on 21 June received an award from the DGB Bayern for negotiating a company-wide agreement that explicitly states: Artificial intelligence shall assist employees, not replace them.
The anxiety is understandable. A Bitkom study from May 2026 found that 54.5 percent of German companies already use AI — up sharply from around 41 percent just a year earlier. That rapid adoption is placing new demands on works councils, especially around health protection and data security.
With these new demands on health protection at work, many employers underestimate the gap in their occupational safety documentation. A free toolkit with 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists helps you keep risk assessments compliant and up to date. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
EU AI Act Tightens the Screws from August
Legal requirements are also escalating. From 2 August 2026, stricter compliance rules kick in for high-risk AI systems under the EU AI Act, with potential fines of up to 35 million euros for violations.
At the same time, co-determination rights under the German Works Constitution Act (Betriebsverfassungsgesetz) are taking on fresh importance. One current example is Microsoft’s "Workplace Check-in" tool, which registers employee presence via WLAN or IP addresses. Works councils have a mandatory right to co-determine its use under §87 BetrVG.
When it comes to dismissals, AI is playing a growing role: legal analyses show that AI can be used as a tool in social selection, but the final decision must remain with the employer. The works council retains co-determination rights under §95 BetrVG.
Health and Safety: Both Risks and Opportunities
“AI can detect health risks at an early stage,” says Prof. Dr. Peter Wedde of Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. But there are downsides too. In home offices especially, the line between work and private life is blurring, with consequences for mental health.
In June 2026, the initiative AOP-GA criticised government plans to relax the Working Hours Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz). Abandoning the eight-hour day could lead to higher absenteeism and more early retirements, the group warned.
Physical safety at work also needs updating. In facility management, heat protection is becoming a social task. Monitoring systems for room temperature and structural measures such as green façades are to be integrated into standard processes.
Staying on top of these physical safety updates also means complying with the Health & Safety at Work Act. A free toolkit gives you nine tools including risk assessments, checklists and a director’s liability guide to help UK companies avoid costly penalties. Get the free Health & Safety at Work Act Toolkit
A Hybrid Approach Beats Pure Automation
Despite the angst, economic data show the value of a mixed strategy. The PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer 2026 reports that combining human labour with AI produces a 52 percent headcount increase — compared with just 36 percent for full automation.
The healthcare sector is moving fastest. According to the KPMG Global Tech Report 2026, 66 percent of healthcare organisations already use AI actively, double the previous year’s figure. The biggest obstacle: governance deficits.
