AI in addressing the skilled labor shortage: solution with side effect

Artificial intelligence is on everyone’s lips. But does it actually help with the skilled labor shortage—or could it even make it worse? These and other questions were addressed at the session of the Parliamentary Group on Education, Research, and Innovation (PG BFI) on 19 March 2026 in Bern.

Representatives from politics, business, and education discussed how AI is transforming the world of work – and what this means for training and the demand for skilled workers.

Prof. Dr. Marcel Salathé, co-director of the AI Center at EPFL, impressively demonstrated in his keynote: AI will make many processes more efficient, but it does not necessarily destroy jobs. On the contrary, the assumption that AI will eliminate thousands of positions is based on a classic misconception – the “lump of labor fallacy.” Work is not finite. AI creates new tasks, and new expertise is needed. In fact, the skilled labor shortage could even worsen. The key is that people acquire competencies in AI, IT, and critical thinking early on in order to use the technology as a genuine “multiplier” of their abilities.

Nicole Koch, managing director of aprentas, focused on the industry perspective. She emphasized that the change itself is not new, but its speed is. Of particular concern: entry-level jobs could partly disappear, even though they form the foundation for the skilled workers and specialists of tomorrow. This makes further development of vocational education all the more important. Koch highlighted that vocational training must deliberately design learning spaces and enable the acquisition of competencies. Learning takes time, and education remains an investment. Alongside specialist knowledge, social and personal competencies – such as reliability, responsibility, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking – are becoming increasingly important.

In the subsequent panel discussion with Rémy Hübschi (SBFI), Nicole Koch, Rudolf Minsch (economiesuisse), and Marcel Salathé, it became clear: AI is not a cure-all for the skilled labor shortage. Rudolf Minsch pointed to demographic developments: by 2035, Switzerland could face a shortage of around 460'000 workers. AI offers the possibility to increase productivity per employee and thus counter demographic pressures. Lifelong learning is therefore key to closing qualification gaps and meeting rapidly changing competency requirements.

Education – including vocational education – is also facing a paradigm shift. Traditional models are reaching their limits. What is required is lifelong learning, practical training, and the ability to continuously adapt to new demands. AI can support this process – but the quality of education and the connection to practical experience remain decisive. Education must stay closely aligned with the needs of industry, and reforms must be implemented more quickly.