While less than 2% of workers in Brussels are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation, almost 50% of the region's labour force could be doing tasks twice as fast if they used AI.
Due to the percentage of jobs in the Brussels-Capital Region exposed to generative AI, at least 20% of all work tasks could be done in half the time with the help of the technology. This is according to a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The report found that in Brussels the percentage is 48.2%, almost double the OECD average of 26%. On a national level, around 33.1% of workers in Belgium are exposed to generative AI.
As most OECD regions are struggling with labour shortages (Belgium being no exception), the international organisation emphasised that AI technologies can help employers to "access untapped talent" in low-skilled workers or workers with disabilities for whom some jobs were previously out of reach.
"In addition, AI technologies can be leveraged to directly supplement workers where feasible, helping to ease labour shortages and the effects of an ageing workforce," the report reads.
Losing jobs to automation
In terms of jobs in Brussels that are at high risk of automation, meaning more than a quarter of tasks or skills could be automated, the figure stands at 1.6% – far below the OECD average of 12%. Nationally, the share of workers highly exposed to automation sits at 4.6%.
The relatively low risk of workers losing their jobs to automation in Belgium may be due to the fact that jobs requiring high skill levels "dominate across all regions", according to the OECD.
Brussels stands out with the highest share of high-skill jobs (58.6%), above the OECD average of 44%. The share of low-skill jobs in Belgium ranges from 22.1% in Brussels to 23.9% in Flanders.
The OECD said that while the exact effects of generative AI on the job market are unknown, evidence from previous automation revolutions "show overall net job creation".
The organisation did caveat that in some OECD regions automation has contributed to a loss in overall employment, and that new jobs created by automation might not benefit the same workers who have lost their jobs due to new technologies.
Labour market tightest in Flanders
Looking more broadly at Belgium's labour market, the country's national employment rate stood at 64.1% in 2023, below the OECD benchmark of 69.4%. The employment rate varies between regions, from a low of 59.9% in Wallonia to 71.4% in Flanders.
The report notes that the extent of labour shortages in Belgium varies by region. Measured by labour market tightness (the number of job vacancies divided by unemployment), the Flemish Region is facing the most severe labour shortages, with 120% more vacancies per unemployed person than Belgium as a whole.
In contrast, Brussels has the least severe labour shortages, as it has 73% fewer vacancies per unemployed person than Belgium on average.
