Society & Work
How many jobs are lost to automation every day?
92 million jobs are forecast to be displaced globally by 2030, roughly 18 million a year. The measured numbers point the same way: 7.4 million US workers were displaced between 2023 and 2025, up 17.5% on the previous two years, and only 66% of them found new work. Back in 2013 a study put 47% of US jobs at high risk of automation within 20 years. That estimate has been contested, but measured displacement has risen in the years since.
Roughly 24 jobs every minute.
Source: WEF Future of Jobs 2025; Oxford Martin School (Frey & Osborne 2013).
Last checked: 18 October 2026
Job displacement over time
Job displacement from automation accelerated in the 2020s as large language models expanded automation from physical tasks into cognitive work. WEF Future of Jobs 2025 projects 92 million jobs displaced globally by 2030 (~18.4M/year), up from the 83M over 2023-2027 projected by the 2023 edition.
| Year | Rate | Jobs/day | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 20/min | 29K | COVID drives automation acceleration |
| 2024 | 20/min | 29K | AI begins displacing knowledge workers; global rate modelled from US BLS data |
| 2026 | 24/min | 35K | AI/automation displacement accelerates; 66% reemployment rate maintained |
| 2027 (forecast) | 40/min | 58K | AI displaces knowledge work at scale |
| 2028 (forecast) | 48/min | 69K | LLM-powered cognitive automation expands |
Key automation displacement statistics
WEF Future of Jobs 2025: 92 million jobs displaced globally by 2030 (~18.4M/year); robotics/autonomous systems is the largest net job displacer
WEF 2023 projected 83 million jobs displaced 2023-2027 (net -14M); WEF 2025 revised this to 92M displaced but +78M net, as new job creation accelerated more
BLS: 7.4 million US workers displaced from jobs in 2023-2025, up from 6.3 million in 2021-2023 (+17.5%); 66.1% reemployment rate
Oxford Martin (2013): 47% of US employment at "high risk" of automation within 20 years
41% of employers globally plan to reduce their workforce as AI automates certain tasks (WEF 2025)
Jobs displaced vs. jobs created by automation, today
WEF 2025 projects creation (170M) ahead of displacement (92M) by 2030. The 2023 edition had the net at -14 million. Both flows run at the same time; created roles require retraining, displaced roles do not wait for it.
The automation displacement wave: which work is vanishing and why
The displacement curve
Manufacturing automation has displaced workers since the 1980s, but the current wave is qualitatively different. LLMs and specialised AI tools are now automating call centres, data entry, legal research, financial analysis, and content creation. McKinsey Global Institute estimated 400 to 800 million workers could be displaced by 2030 (of whom 75 to 375 million may need to switch occupational categories); the range is wide because it reflects uncertainty about AI adoption speed, regulatory responses, and how quickly new jobs are created in affected economies.
Why this wave is different
Prior automation waves mainly hit routine manual tasks, leaving non-routine cognitive work largely untouched. The current wave is the first to credibly automate writing, analysis, coding, legal research, and creative work. Displacement risk has moved up the income and education ladder, reaching professional occupations that were previously off-limits. Policy frameworks built around manufacturing displacement have no ready answer for this shift.
Research data
| Year | Finding | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Oxford Martin (Frey & Osborne): 47% of US employment at high risk of computerisation in next 10-20 years | 47 % US jobs at high automation risk | World Economic Forum |
| 2018 | WEF Future of Jobs 2018: 75M jobs displaced by 2022 | 75.0M jobs displaced projected 2018-2022 | World Economic Forum |
| 2020 | WEF 2020: 85M jobs displaced by 2025; COVID accelerates automation adoption | 85.0M jobs displaced projected 2020-2025 | World Economic Forum |
| 2023 | WEF 2023: 83M jobs displaced 2023-2027; first net negative projection (-14M) | 83.0M jobs displaced projected 2023-2027 | World Economic Forum |
| 2025 | WEF Future of Jobs 2025 (Jan 2025): 92M jobs displaced by 2030 (~18.4M/year); 170M created; net +78M. Robotics and autonomous systems is the single largest net job displacer; cashiers, administrative assistants, and graphic designers among fastest-declining roles | 92.0M jobs displaced projected by 2030 | World Economic Forum |
| 2026 | BLS Worker Displacement Survey (Aug 2026): 7.4M US workers displaced 2023-2025, up 17.5% from 6.3M in 2021-2023; 3.3M long-tenured workers displaced; 66.1% reemployment rate maintained | 7.4M US workers displaced 2023-2025 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| 2026 | WEF Four Futures for Jobs (Jan 2026): 4 AI/talent scenarios through 2030; 59% of the global workforce will need reskilling by 2030; 39% of core skills expected to become outdated | 59 % of global workforce needing reskilling by 2030 | World Economic Forum |
Key milestones
- 2013Oxford Martin School: 47% of US jobs at automation risk; landmark paper triggers global debate
- 2017McKinsey: 400-800M workers globally could be displaced by 2030
- 2020COVID-19 accelerates automation adoption: 43% of companies plan to reduce workforce due to technology (WEF)
- 2023WEF first negative net projection: 83M displaced vs 69M created 2023-2027
- 2025WEF Future of Jobs 2025: 92M displaced by 2030, but 170M created — net +78M; robotics/autonomous systems is largest net displacer; graphic designers join fastest-declining roles list due to generative AI
- 2026BLS Worker Displacement 2026: 7.4M US workers displaced 2023-25 (+17.5% vs prior period); displacement accelerates as AI hits knowledge work; reemployment rate holds at 66%
In perspective
At the WEF's projected rate (18.4 million a year), automation displaces nearly twice the workforce of the Netherlands every year
At 24 jobs per minute, a job is permanently displaced every 2.5 seconds
Frequently asked questions
- How many jobs are being lost to automation per year?
- The WEF Future of Jobs 2025 projects 92 million jobs displaced globally by 2030, about 18.4 million per year. BLS data shows 7.4 million US displaced workers in 2023 to 2025, up from 6.3 million in 2021 to 2023. Automation's share of total job displacement is estimated at 15 to 30%, with the remainder attributed to business closures, offshoring, and restructuring unrelated to technology.
- Which jobs are most at risk from automation?
- Oxford Martin's 2013 study flagged clerks, data entry workers, telemarketers, and bank tellers as highest-risk. More recent analysis, reflecting AI language capabilities, adds radiologists, paralegals, journalists, and customer service representatives. WEF 2025 lists cashiers, administrative assistants, and graphic designers among the fastest-declining roles by absolute numbers.
Cite this rate
AnythingCounter derived rate, last checked October 2026: about 24 jobs per minute (about 34,560 jobs per day).
Method: Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2026, converted to a per-minute rate (daily total ÷ 1,440).
Suggested citation: AnythingCounter, "Jobs lost because of machines," October 2026, https://anythingcounter.com/jobs-lost-to-automation-per-day
Primary source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
How this number is calculated, and how much to trust it
The live counter uses 24 jobs displaced per minute, derived from BLS displaced worker data (7.4M US workers displaced 2023–2025, approximately 3.7M/year) scaled to a conservative global estimate. For context, WEF 2025 projects 92 million displaced by 2030 (18.4M/year ≈ 35/min), which is the forecast context; the counter uses the more conservative observed BLS-anchored baseline. The live counter accumulates displacement from midnight.
The WEF Future of Jobs 2025 report is based on employer surveys across 55 economies and 1,000+ companies. The BLS Displaced Workers Survey, published every two years, provides measured US displacement data rather than projections. Oxford Martin School's 2013 paper by Frey and Osborne has over 10,000 academic citations and remains the most-cited baseline for automation risk estimates, despite ongoing debate about its methodology. No single source tracks global automation-linked displacement in real time.
Sources: see below. More detail on our methodology page.
Sources
WEF - Future of Jobs Report 2025 - BLS - Displaced Workers Survey - BLS - Worker Displacement: 2023-2025.
Worth a look... Jobs gained from automation - Robots deployed - Automation statistics.