Tuesday, 13 January 2026
A survey conducted by international credit insurer Atradius indicates that artificial intelligence is not expected to lead to widespread job losses in Germany’s manufacturing sector, despite growing public debate around AI-driven redundancies.
According to the survey, carried out among more than 470 companies at the end of 2025, 79 per cent of respondents do not expect artificial intelligence to result in job losses in the coming years. Only six per cent of companies anticipate that AI could directly lead to a reduction in employment.
The findings suggest that, unlike in some service-oriented industries, manufacturing remains heavily dependent on human labour. “The often-expressed concern that AI will replace jobs on a large scale is not reflected in our survey,” said Frank Liebold, Country Manager Germany at Atradius. He noted that AI is primarily being used to support and modify existing workflows rather than to fully replace them, adding that it “changes processes, it doesn’t take them over”.
Looking at recent experience, the impact of AI on employment has so far been limited. Around 82 per cent of surveyed companies reported that AI has not contributed to job cuts in the past. Only six per cent cited AI as a factor in previous layoffs, reinforcing the view that its role in workforce reduction remains marginal in manufacturing.
At the same time, many companies are actively preparing for technological change. Investments in employee training, digital competencies and a better understanding of AI applications are becoming more common. Firms are also focusing on developing skills that are difficult to automate, as part of a broader effort to adapt to evolving production processes. Nearly 60 per cent of respondents stated that they are actively engaging with current AI-related trends and technologies.
The survey covered a broad cross-section of the German economy, including companies from the automotive, construction and building materials, chemical, electronics, finance, IT and software, consumer goods, agriculture, food, mechanical engineering, metals, paper, textiles and transport sectors. Participating firms ranged from small businesses with fewer than 100 employees to large organisations employing more than 1,500 people, with annual turnover spanning from under €5 million to more than €1 billion.
Overall, the results suggest that while AI is increasingly influencing how manufacturing companies operate, its impact is currently centred on process optimisation rather than large-scale workforce reductions.
