One in Five German Companies Using AI Say They Can Replace University Graduates, Survey Shows
14.06.2026 - 07:57:39 | boerse-global.de
A sweeping survey of nearly 3,000 German firms conducted in May 2026 reveals that artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the labor market — not by eliminating only routine jobs, but by targeting the kind of skilled professionals the economy has long relied on.
The Ifo Institute’s findings show that 19.2 percent of businesses already using AI consider it easy or very easy to substitute recent university graduates with lower-skilled employees who can operate the technology. In retail, the figure jumps to 28.6 percent. Even experienced workers are not immune: 15 percent of companies believe they could replace veteran staff with less-seasoned AI users. The services sector reports a 19.7 percent replaceability rate, while manufacturing (14.6 percent) and construction (9.3 percent) remain more cautious.
Yet the survey also delivers a counterpoint: 55.4 percent of firms still say replacing skilled workers with AI is difficult or impossible — a reminder that, for now, human expertise retains a stronghold in many fields.
Productivity Gains Renew Calls for Shorter Workweeks
The surge in automation-driven productivity is reigniting a long-simmering debate about working time. Historic predictions of a 15-hour workweek by 2030 suddenly no longer seem far-fetched. JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon has floated the possibility of a 3.5-day week, and some tech leaders foresee a future where conventional employment becomes largely redundant.
German politics is now responding. In mid-June 2026, Labor Minister Bärbel Bas announced she would introduce legislation to shift from a daily maximum working time to a weekly limit, a move intended to give companies more flexibility. Bas also predicted that by 2030 no job in Germany will exist without some AI component, and that workers should expect at least one mandatory AI retraining course per year.
Social Safety Net Under Strain
Productivity alone will not pay for the welfare state. As human employment contracts, revenue from payroll taxes and social security contributions shrinks. In the United States, a pattern of jobless growth is already visible: for the first time, AI is cited as the primary cause of layoffs. Challenger, Gray & Christmas reports that a quarter of all dismissals in the country are now AI-related — a massive jump from the prior year.
Some AI executives are therefore calling for higher capital gains taxes or a specific levy on AI companies to fund a universal basic income, arguing that those who profit most from automation should help cushion its societal impact.
Humans and Robots Side by Side at BMW
Physical automation is also accelerating. At its Leipzig plant, BMW is testing humanoid robots through the end of 2026. The machines, which learn movement patterns directly from humans, will work in battery assembly and quality control. The company insists they are meant to support — not replace — human employees.
Meanwhile, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche is urging heavier investment. She warns that without combining AI with industrial data, Germany’s manufacturing sector risks losing its competitive edge.
