The IT major has released its ‘New Work, New World 2026’ report, which offers a new analysis of how artificial intelligence (AI) will impact work and jobs.
The research shows that AI is now capable of performing $4.5 trillion in U.S. work tasks and potentially impacting 93 percent of today’s jobs, but human engagement and adaptable operations remain critical to realizing AI’s full value potential.
The report, based on a reassessment of 18,000 tasks and 1,000 jobs in O*NET’s employment database, focuses on how jobs and tasks can be supported or automated by AI. It points to an accelerating pace of change in ‘exposure scores’, the extent to which a job can be aided or automated by AI.
“We are seeing significant capital flow into AI, and the rapid adoption of these technologies is reshaping the workplace. However, turning that investment into meaningful results requires more than pure technology power. Companies must also integrate contextual intelligence, build agile systems that can absorb new AI capabilities, and prioritize human learning and development alongside technology advancements,” said Ravi Kumar S, CEO of Cognizant.
The report also shows that the average exposure score for jobs currently stands at 39 percent, implying that more tasks could be assisted or automated by AI. These exposure scores are now also increasing by 9 percent annually.
Meanwhile, roles in the computing and math sectors, once considered highly exposed to AI, no longer top the report’s exposure scores – suggesting that rapid AI advances in some knowledge work areas may have reached their limits. Working jobs could be hit faster than previously thought, with the exposure rate for the transport sector rising from 6 percent to 25 percent, and in the construction sector from 4 percent to 12 percent.
Published on January 16, 2026
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