EU urged to create dedicated unit for monitoring AI's effect on employment

While concerns about AI-induced job losses are rising, aggregate employment figures in Europe have not yet shown widespread displacement. To bridge this evidence gap, a workshop organized by the European Policy Centre and the Open Markets Institute identified four priority metrics for tracking AI’s labour impact. Participants stressed that reliable usage data resides with AI providers, necessitating research-access obligations similar to those in the Digital Services Act.

They advocated for a dedicated EU centre within the Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, working closely with Cedefop, the European AI Office, and the International Network of Observatories on AI and Work. The unit would produce real-time dashboards rather than periodic reports, covering junior-level job vacancies, AI exposure across occupations, structural changes in firms, and the labour share of GDP. Such a capability would enable evidence-based policy, counter industry-driven narratives, and provide a template for other regions confronting AI-related labour shifts.