AI Threatens One in Six Jobs in France Within Five Years

Since the emergence of ChatGPT in 2022, the issue of employment has become central to the debate on artificial intelligence (AI). Opinions are divided: some predict a major crisis, while others see AI as a means to automate repetitive tasks, thereby freeing humans for more meaningful activities. A recent study conducted by the insurer Coface and the Observatory of Threatened and Emerging Jobs (OEM), and reported by Le Monde, sheds new light through an innovative methodology.

To date, the impact of AI in France remains moderate and evolves slowly. Companies often limit themselves to using chatbots and conducting controlled experiments, hesitating to eliminate positions or deeply reorganize their processes. In 2025, only 7% of French employees were using generative AI daily, while 14% were using it weekly.

However, this trend could accelerate with the development of agentic AI, which promises to perform many tasks completely autonomously.

White-Collar Workers and Youth on the Front Lines

Currently, 3.8% of jobs in France are already affected by generative AI, a figure that could reach 16.3% in the next two to five years, meaning about one in six jobs. Additionally, one in eight jobs could see more than 30% of their tasks automated.

The most vulnerable professions are those of white-collar workers, often well-paid, as AI targets cognitive and intellectual tasks. Unlike previous technological revolutions that targeted intermediate and repetitive jobs, current AI threatens sectors such as:

• Architecture
• Engineering
• Computer Science and Mathematics
• Administrative and Office Support

Creative professions, including design, media, arts, and entertainment, as well as the legal sector, are also at risk.

Youth represent another particularly exposed category. As some companies suspend hiring to automate tasks, interns and apprentices find themselves on the front lines.

The State Called to Act

In the face of these challenges, the government has implemented limited measures, such as the Dare AI initiative, which aims to train 15 million professionals by 2030. However, according to Axelle Arquié, economist and co-founder of the OEM, these efforts are insufficient. She emphasizes: "We need to start worrying. And it would be good for policymakers to think about this too, and not just the people who are concerned."

Other experts take a more nuanced approach. Grégory Verdugo, professor of economics at Cergy-Paris University and associate researcher at the French Observatory of Economic Conjunctures, states that "alarmist rhetoric is primarily propagated by the promoters of these technologies who, given the level of investment, need to perpetuate the idea that it will be profitable in the short term, and therefore that there will be a significant impact."

It is crucial to remember that every major technological wave, whether it be robotics, the Internet, or platforms, has sparked catastrophic prophecies that have not always materialized, or not in the anticipated manner.

Nevertheless, signs of change are already visible. Several professions, such as graphic designers or translators, are seeing their activities disrupted by the rise of these tools. In the next two to five years, AI could threaten one in six jobs in France, affecting nearly 5 million workers. Unlike previous revolutions, it is intellectual, creative, and legal professions that are most exposed to automation. In light of these alarming forecasts, experts are calling for a strong political response to protect youth and support the profound transformation of the labor market.