When it comes to AI-related changes in the labor market, the focus has so far been on Gen Z. Various studies indicate that the new technology is displacing entry-level jobs in particular. According to data from the Federal Employment Agency, more university graduates under 30 are currently registered as unemployed in Germany than in decades. However, a current analysis by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College comes to the conclusion that another age group could also be increasingly affected – and that is employees nearing retirement.
Office jobs are particularly at risk
Geoffrey Sanzenbacher, an economics professor at Boston College and researcher in the areas of pensions, retirement planning and the labor market, analyzed US employment data. He compared labor market data from the US with an AI exposure index. This is a data set that records the extent to which certain professions depend on tasks that AI can take on. Specifically, he examined how many employees aged 55 and over left the workforce before and after the publication of ChatGPT in 2022.
Although Sanzenbacher admits that the effects of AI on employees cannot be conclusively answered, his results indicate a clear shift: Before the publication of ChatGPT, older employees in jobs heavily exposed to AI tended to work longer than those in manual jobs. This particularly includes highly qualified knowledge professions such as programming and tax consulting. “The professional groups affected by AI used to have a relative advantage in terms of length of employment,” explains Sanzenbacher. After the launch of ChatGPT, this advantage shrank significantly.
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Many want to work longer
According to Sanzenbacher, the proportion of employees aged 55 and over who are giving up their salaried jobs has increased significantly in recent years. Many of them would be pushed out by current developments and would not voluntarily take early retirement. It can also be observed that many of these experienced specialists continue to actively apply and look for a new position. Here, too, office jobs, which have long been considered secure and well-paid, are particularly affected. The number of employees who gave up manual tasks only increased by around two percent between 2014 and 2025. For auditors, however, it was 22 percent and for computer programmers it was even 25 percent.
What makes matters worse is that many older Americans continue to rely on paid work. More and more pensioners are returning from retirement to working life – mostly for financial reasons. According to a survey by Resume Builder of more than 3,500 seniors, 54 percent said they wanted to go back to work or needed to continue working due to increased living costs. According to Sanzenbacher, even a major health problem could result in seniors having to go back to work – especially those who were able to build up fewer reserves during their career due to lower income. The current development could put older employees under double pressure.
