IBM Study Highlights Critical Thinking as AI Reshapes Jobs
An IBM Institute for Business Value and Oxford Economics survey found growing concern that AI use may erode employees' existing skills. The research, covering 1,500 executives and 8,800 workers, identifies critical thinking, decision-making, and evaluating AI outputs as increasingly important. It also notes that 60% of employees say skill erosion affects them, while 46% of executives rank it as a major worry.
The IBM Institute for Business Value and Oxford Economics gathered views from 1,500 workforce strategy executives and 8,800 workers. Executives came from 21 nations and 23 sectors; employees spanned 28 countries. Fieldwork ran from April through June 2026.
Findings show 60% of workers report that losing practiced skills affects them, while 46% of executives call it a leading worry. Critical thinking and problem framing mattered to 57% of executives and 49% of employees. A wider split appeared on checking AI results: 71% of executives versus 38% of employees. Also, 52% of workers saw task changes in a year, but just 26% of organizations clearly separate human-led, AI-assisted, and AI-run work.
As AI takes on more knowledge tasks, workers may find fewer chances to sharpen judgment, while employers could face weaker oversight of automated outputs. Executives, managers, and frontline staff may feel this differently, especially where duties are not clearly divided among people and systems. Training and role design could become more important, and less-prepared workers may face greater pressure to adapt. The broader effect may depend on whether organizations treat critical thinking as a shared responsibility rather than an individual burden.