Revealed: Up to 3.5 million jobs at risk in Spain as AI revolution gathers pace — but there’s a silver lining 

SPAIN could lose millions of jobs over the next decade as artificial intelligence transforms the workplace – although millions of new roles are expected to emerge, offering some balance to the disruption.

A major new report by Funcas, obtained by El Mundo, suggests that in a moderate scenario between 1.7 and 2.3 million jobs will disappear over the next ten years. 

While AI could create up to 1.6 million new positions, the overall balance remains negative, with a net loss of around 600,000 jobs.

Even the most optimistic outlook will not have a positive impact on employment in Spain, with 700,000 jobs lost and 600,000 created. 

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In the worst-case scenario, job losses could reach 3.5 million, while job creation remains at 1.6 million, leaving Spain with a net loss of two million jobs – or roughly 10% of its current workforce.

In this scenario, employment could fall below 19 million by 2035, while the other scenarios project a labour market with up to 22.1 million people.

According to Francisco Rodriguez, who led the study, the key issue is not just how many jobs are lost, but which ones.

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White-collar workers, mid-level technicians and administrative workers are expected to be the most affected.

The report estimates that technicians and scientific professionals could lose around 900,000 jobs, followed by support roles, accounting staff and even managers.

Despite the warnings, Spain is not among the countries worst affected by automation, largely due to the weight of sectors such as tourism and hospitality.

There is also a clear upside. Between 2.8 and 3.5 million workers are expected to see productivity gains from AI, particularly in the services sector. 

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The findings come as concern rises across the tech sector, with companies announcing job cuts that could exceed 1,000 positions.

At the same time, recent labour data shows a drop in employment in Spain’s information and communication sector, although experts say that not all of this decline can be directly linked to AI.

Even though there are layoffs, 78% of companies still struggle to find workers with digital skills.

This suggests that many people losing tech jobs will likely find new ones quickly.

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