The top jobs at risk as 'surge' of AI bots to enter workforce by end of 2026

If you weren't already worried about AI taking over then you might when the technology starts replacing you at work.

Artificial intelligence has grown rapidly in recent years, as despite the many warnings of 'godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton, companies continue to pump millions into making the tech more and more advanced.

Hinton has suggested on a number of occasions that the likelihood of AI ruling over the human race is a very real possibility and only by installing a maternal instinct in future models can we prevent a Terminator style war-torn future of humans against robots.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to back a human race that is already entering into relationships with robots, and soon we might be clocking in for work with a new robot best friend.

Research by Agentic AI firm Gravitee has suggested that as many as 100,000 AI workers could be competing for our jobs by the end of next year, because it's already so easy to find a job in the current market.

Some companies already use robots at work (Getty Stock)

Rory Blundell, chief executive at Gravitee, told the Sun: “Agentic AI will offer a huge productivity boom to firms of all sizes, with AI agents completing rote, repetitive tasks while workers are freed up to focus on more interesting challenges.

“However it’s clear that, at least in the short term, there’s a risk of widespread job cuts until companies know how to balance the investment with the return, which may be shortsighted. Not least because AI Agents, without proper governance, can cause widespread chaos and disruption."

The AI firm surveyed 250 executives at large UK companies, each with more than 250 employees.

Of these corporate bosses, 65 percent said they were looking to reduce headcount at their companies by the end of 2026 and eight percent said they would freeze recruitment, indicating that AI could pick up the slack.

According to the research, even the most conservative CEOs expected to have at least five 'AI agents' working for them by the end of 2026. Most said 16 to 20 roles previously performed by humans would be handed over to AI

Microsoft has already suggested some of the 40 jobs which might be most at risk, or indeed most safe from AI, and 2026 might well be the last you hear from me if a particularly witty robot comes in and takes my place.

The Agentic AI firm has now nailed down three job roles which may well become obsolete with the introduction of AI workers.

Chatting with co-workers might not be much fun (Getty Stock)

Almost half (49 percent) said AI bots could perform more than half of an HR professional's job. And hopefully I don't get reported to the new robot head of HR for saying that.

Meanwhile, 46 percent said more than half of the work software engineers and customer service managers do could be done just as well by artificial intelligence. If that's your line of work, it might well be time to start looking for a new career.

Worryingly, every single one of the company bosses suggested that they were planning on using AI agents in some way, which is unsurprising because it will probably save them a lot of money and they don't have to worry about their minimum wage workers asking for a raise because they can't afford to put food on the table.

But, you'd imagine that this is just the beginning of AI workers and as we continue to rely on the technology, it's only going to get smarter and smarter.

So remember the next time you ask ChatGPT for relationship advice, you're probably putting a therapist out of work in the future.