Journal Browser
Search
Research trends on the relationship between skills, technologies and employment prospects
Yolanda González-Castro
Adriana Mora Botina
Ariel Alfonso Reyes Castro
Daniel Rincon Garcia
Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development 2025, 9(4); https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd11799
Submitted:16 Jun 2025
Accepted:12 Aug 2025
Published:22 Dec 2025
Abstract

The multifaceted nature of the skills required by new-age professions, reflecting the dynamic evolution of the global workforce, is the focal point of this study. The objective was to synthesize the existing academic literature on these skills, employing a scientometric approach . This involved a comprehensive analysis of 367 articles from the merged Scopus and Web of Science databases. Science. We observed a significant increase in annual scientific output, with an increase of 87.01% over the last six years. The United States emerged as the most prolific contributor, responsible for 21.61% of total publications and receiving 34.31% of all citations. Using the Tree algorithm of Science (ToS), we identified fundamental contributions within this domain. The ToS outlined three main research streams: the convergence of gender, technology, and automation; defining elements of future work; and the dualistic impact of AI on work, seen as both a threat and an opportunity. Furthermore, our study explored the effects of automation on quality of life, the evolving meaning of work, and the emergence of new skills. A critical analysis was also conducted on how to balance technology with humanism, addressing challenges and strategies in workforce automation. This study offers a comprehensive scientometric view of new-age professions, highlighting the most important trends, challenges, and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field.

JEL

 O33; J24; J21

References
1. Acemoglu, D., & Restrepo, P. (2018). Low-Skill and High-Skill Automation. Journal of Human Capital, 12(2), 204–232. https://doi.org/10.1086/697242
2. Alibasic, A., Upadhyay, H., Simsekler, M. C. E., et al. (2022). Evaluation of the trends in jobs and skill-sets using data analytics: a case study. Journal of Big Data, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40537-022-00576-5
3. Managing Future Challenges for Safety. (2022). In H. Laroche, C. Bieder, & J. Villena-López (Eds.), SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07805-7
4. The Risk of Automation for Jobs in OECD Countries. (2016). In OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers. Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). https://doi.org/10.1787/5jlz9h56dvq7-en
5. Autor, D. H. (2015). Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace Automation. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 29(3), 3–30. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.29.3.3
6. Autor, D. H., Levy, F., & Murnane, R. J. (2003). The Skill Content of Recent Technological Change: An Empirical Exploration. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 118(4), 1279–1333. https://doi.org/10.1162/003355303322552801
7. Barricelli, B. R., Fogli, D., & Locoro, A. (2023). EUDability: A new construct at the intersection of End-User Development and Computational Thinking. Journal of Systems and Software, 195, 111516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2022.111516
8. Belloc, F., Burdin, G., Cattani, L., et al. (2022). Coevolution of job automation risk and workplace governance. Research Policy, 51(3), 104441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2021.104441
9. Botero, C. M., Milanes, C. B., & Robledo, S. (2023). 50 years of the Coastal Zone Management Act: The bibliometric influence of the first coastal management law on the world. Marine Policy, 150, 105548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2023.105548
10. Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. W. W. Norton & Company. https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=WiKwAgAAQBAJ
11. Brynjolfsson, E., Li, D., & Raymond, L. (2025). Generative AI at Work. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 140(2), 889–942. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjae044
12. Bukartaite, R., & Hooper, D. (2023). Automation, artificial intelligence and future skills needs: an Irish perspective. European Journal of Training and Development, 47(10), 163–185. https://doi.org/10.1108/ejtd-03-2023-0045
13. Coombs, C. (2020). Will COVID-19 be the tipping point for the Intelligent Automation of work? A review of the debate and implications for research. International Journal of Information Management, 55, 102182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102182
14. Cunliffe, K. S. (2021). Hard target espionage in the information era: new challenges for the second oldest profession. Intelligence and National Security, 36(7), 1018–1034. https://doi.org/10.1080/02684527.2021.1947555
15. Da Costa Pimenta, C. C., Zarzuelo Prieto, D., Balan Garcia, A., et al. (2025). Industria 4.0: Impacto de la Digitalización y la Automatización en la Transformación Social e Industrial. Revista Inclusiones, 12(1), 216–243. https://doi.org/10.58210/fprc3592
16. De Oliveira Teixeira, K., De Guimarães e Souza, G. J., & Schneid Tessmann, M. (2022). The future of work in the Brazilian Federal District’s executive branch. Revista Do Serviço Público, 73(1), 9–31. https://doi.org/10.21874/rsp.v73.i1.6641
17. Eichhorst, W., Hinte, H., Rinne, U., et al. (2017). How Big is the Gig? Assessing the Preliminary Evidence on the Effects of Digitalization on the Labor Market. Management Revu, 28(3), 298–318. https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2017-3-298
18. Felin, T., & Holweg, M. (2024). Theory Is All You Need: AI, Human Cognition, and Causal Reasoning. Strategy Science, 9(4), 346–371. https://doi.org/10.1287/stsc.2024.0189
19. Ford, M. (2015). The rise of the robots: FT and McKinsey Business Book of the Year. Simon and Schuster. https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=PB29DwAAQBAJ
20. Frank, M. R., Autor, D., Bessen, J. E., et al. (2019). Toward understanding the impact of artificial intelligence on labor. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(14), 6531–6539. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1900949116
21. Frey, C. B., & Osborne, M. A. (2017). The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation? Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 114, 254–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2016.08.019
22. Furendal, M., & Jebari, K. (2023). The Future of Work: Augmentation or Stunting? Philosophy & Technology, 36(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-023-00631-w
23. GEREFFI, G., POSTHUMA, A. C., & ROSSI, A. (2021). Introduction: Disruptions in global value chains – Continuity or change for labour governance? International Labour Review, 160(4), 501–517. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ilr.12333
24. Gómez-Ortiz, M. M., & Vivares-Vergara, J. A. (2024). Producción de café orgánico: mapeando tendencias a través del análisis bibliométrico. Clío América, 18(35). https://doi.org/10.21676/23897848.5650
25. GONZALEZ, Y. (2020). Cualificación del talento humano frente a la organización 4.0 y sus innovaciones. Espacios, 41(49). https://doi.org/10.48082/espacios-a20v41n49p18
26. González, Y., Peñaranda, M. & Durán, O. (2018). Big Data strategy as a key factor in business competitiveness. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology (RCTA), 1(31), 57-65. https://doi.org/10.24054/rcta.v1i31.131
27. Granter, E., & Aroles, J. (2023). Crisis and Utopia: André Gorz and the end of work. Journal of Classical Sociology, 23(2), 211–228. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468795x231170368
28. A., A. M. G., Robledo, S., et al. (2023). Topic Modeling: Perspectives From a Literature Review. IEEE Access, 11, 4066–4078. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2022.3232939
29. Hernández Ramírez, J., Sepúlveda Angarita, M. Z., & Fonseca Vigoya, M. (2024). Rise and Evolution of Design Thinking Research for Business Innovation. The International Journal of Design Management and Professional Practice, 18(2), 81–107. https://doi.org/10.18848/2325-162x/cgp/v18i02/81-107
30. Hincapié-Naranjo, L., Torres-Sarria, S., Castro-Peña, M. Y., et al. (2024). Theoretical-conceptual approach to inclusive marketing: a perspective from sensory disabilities. Clío América, 18(35). https://doi.org/10.21676/23897848.5674
31. Hoff, K., Van Egdom, D., Napolitano, C., et al. (2021). Dream Jobs and Employment Realities: How Adolescents’ Career Aspirations Compare to Labor Demands and Automation Risks. Journal of Career Assessment, 30(1), 134–156. https://doi.org/10.1177/10690727211026183
32. HOWCROFT, D., & RUBERY, J. (2021). Labour and technology: Reflecting on a century of debate in the International Labour Review. International Labour Review, 160(4). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ilr.12334
33. Howcroft, D., & Taylor, P. (2022). Automation and the future of work: A social shaping of technology approach. New Technology, Work and Employment, 38(2), 351–370. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12240
34. Hunt, W., Sarkar, S., & Warhurst, C. (2022). Measuring the impact of AI on jobs at the organization level: Lessons from a survey of UK business leaders. Research Policy, 51(2), 104425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2021.104425
35. Jain, A., & Ranjan, S. (2020). Implications of emerging technologies on the future of work. IIMB Management Review, 32(4), 448–454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iimb.2020.11.004
36. Jeffrey, K. (2021). Automation and the future of work: How rhetoric shapes the response in policy preferences. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 192, 417–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.10.019
37. Jetha, A., Shamaee, A., Bonaccio, S., et al. (2021). Fragmentation in the future of work: A horizon scan examining the impact of the changing nature of work on workers experiencing vulnerability. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 64(8), 649–666. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23262
38. Jetha, A., Bonaccio, S., Shamaee, A., et al. (2023). Divided in a digital economy: Understanding disability employment inequities stemming from the application of advanced workplace technologies. SSM-Qualitative Research in Health, 3, 100293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2023.100293
39. Jetha, A., Shamaee, A., Tompa, E., et al. (2023). The future of work in shaping the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities: a qualitative study. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 42(9), 75–91. https://doi.org/10.1108/edi-06-2022-0154
40. Jones, M., Idrovo-Carlier, S., & Rodriguez, A. J. (2021). Automation in Colombia: assessing skills needed for the future of work. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 12(2), 225–240. https://doi.org/10.1108/heswbl-01-2021-0003
41. Joyce, S., Umney, C., Whittaker, X., et al. (2023). New social relations of digital technology and the future of work: Beyond technological determinism. New Technology, Work and Employment, 38(2), 145–161. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12276
42. Kelan, E. K. (2022). Automation Anxiety and Augmentation Aspiration: Subtexts of the Future of Work. British Journal of Management, 34(4), 2057–2074. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12679
43. Knappertsbusch, I., & Gondlach, K. (Eds.). (2023). Work and AI 2030. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-40232-7
44. Kumar, V. (2023). The Economic Value of Digital Disruption. In Management for Professionals. Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8148-7
45. Kwan, S. (2021). Feminist visions of the future of women's work: A systematic exploration of the past, present, and future of women at work in Canada (p. 113) [ Master 's thesis, OCAD University]. OCAD University Open Research Repository. https://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/3402/1/Kwan_Stephanie_2021_MDes_SFI_MRP.pdf
46. Guerschberg, L. (2025). From Automation to Autonomy: The Consequences of Artificial Intelligence in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Multidisciplinary Latin American Journal (MLAJ), 3(1), 22–42. https://doi.org/10.62131/mlaj-v3-n1-002
47. Responsible AI and Analytics for an Ethical and Inclusive Digitized Society. (2021). In D. Dennehy, A. Griva, N. Pouloudi, Y. K. Dwivedi, I. Pappas, & M. Mäntymäki (Eds.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85447-8
48. Långstedt, J., Spohr, J., & Hellström, M. (2023). Are our values becoming more fit for artificial intelligence society? A longitudinal study of occupational values and occupational susceptibility to technological substitution. Technology in Society, 72, 102205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102205
49. Lei, Y.-W., & Kim, R. (2024). Automation and Augmentation: Artificial Intelligence, Robots, and Work. Annual Review of Sociology, 50(1), 251–272. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-090523-050708
50. Liu, H. Y. (2022). Digital Taylorism in China’s e-commerce industry: A case study of internet professionals. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 44(1), 262–279. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143831x211068887
51. Lloyd, C., & Payne, J. (2021). Food for thought: Robots, jobs and skills in food and drink processing in Norway and the UK. New Technology, Work and Employment, 38(2), 272–290. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12194
52. Lott, Y., & Abendroth, A. (2022). Affective commitment, home‐based working and the blurring of work–home boundaries: Evidence from Germany. New Technology, Work and Employment, 38(1), 82–102. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12255
53. Manche, S. V., & Carbonell, J. S. (2022). Repoliticising the future of work: automation and the end of techno-optimism. Journal of Cultural Economy, 15(2), 270–276. https://doi.org/10.1080/17530350.2022.2028651
54. Moencks, M., Roth, E., Bohné, T., et al. (2022). Augmented Workforce Canvas: a management tool for guiding human-centric, value-driven human-technology integration in industry. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 163, 107803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2021.107803
55. Mohd Noor, M. I., Awang, N., & Fuad Abdullah, M. (2023). A Scientometric Review of Solar Energy Research in Business Economics. Journal of Scientometric Research, 12(1), 114–129. https://doi.org/10.5530/jscires.12.1.014
56. Nagel, L. (2020). The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digital transformation of work. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 40(9/10), 861–875. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijssp-07-2020-0323
57. Nazareno, L., & Schiff, D. S. (2021). The impact of automation and artificial intelligence on worker well-being. Technology in Society, 67, 101679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101679
58. Pang, T. Y., Lee, T.-K., & Murshed, M. (2023). Towards a New Paradigm for Digital Health Training and Education in Australia: Exploring the Implication of the Fifth Industrial Revolution. Applied Sciences, 13(11), 6854. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116854
59. Parent-Rocheleau, X., & Parker, S. K. (2022). Algorithms as work designers: How algorithmic management influences the design of jobs. Human Resource Management Review, 32(3), 100838. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2021.100838
60. Park, J., & Kim, J. (2022). A data-driven exploration of the race between human labor and machines in the 21 st century. Communications of the ACM, 65(5), 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1145/3488376
61. Parmer, W. J. (2023). Meaningful Work and Achievement in Increasingly Automated Workplaces. The Journal of Ethics, 28(3), 527–551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10892-023-09434-9
62. Piercy, C., & Gist-Mackey, A. (2021). Automation Anxieties: Perceptions About Technological Automation and the Future of Pharmacy Work. Human-Machine Communication, 2, 191–208. Portico. https://doi.org/10.30658/hmc.2.10
63. Quintero-Arango, L. F., Betancur-Arias, J. D., Machado, C., et al. (2024). Entrepreneurial marketing in action: multidimensional impact and sectoral applications. Clío América, 18(35). https://doi.org/10.21676/23897848.5683
64. Raisch, S., & Krakowski, S. (2021). Artificial Intelligence and Management: The Automation–Augmentation Paradox. Academy of Management Review, 46(1), 192–210. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0072
65. Rauscher, N. (2021). The Future of Work in the United States. In Contributions to Economics. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82307-8
66. Reyes Castro, A. A., Pirazan Londoño, A. P., & Laverde Bernal, J. C. (2023). Elementos que considerar desde la educación media, técnica, tecnológica y profesional para el diseño de estrategias en la política de juventudes para la inserción laboral dentro del municipio de Sutatausa. Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia. https://doi.org/10.22490/ecacen.6933
67. Robledo, S., Vasquez, J. E., Duque3-Méndez, N. D., et al. (2022). Networking as an entrepreneurial marketing tool: the link between effectuation and word of mouth. Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, 25(2), 270–285. https://doi.org/10.1108/jrme-08-2020-0112
68. Robledo-Giraldo, S. (2024). The vital role of scientometrics in modern research. Clío América, 18(35), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.21676/23897848.6020
69. Sader, E. A. (2023). The great skills gap: Optimizing talent for the future of work. International Review of Education, 69(4), 579–581. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-023-10025-x
70. Sako, M., Qian, M., & Attolini, J. (2022). Future of professional work: evidence from legal jobs in Britain and the United States. Journal of Professions and Organization, 9(2), 143–169. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpo/joac011
71. Savona, M., Ciarli, T., Steinmueller, E., & Vannuccini, S. (2022). The design of digital automation technologies: Implications for the future of work. CESifo Forum, 23(5), 4–10. https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/the-design-of-digital-automation-technologies-implications-for-th
72. Schwab, K. (2023, November 24). The Fourth Industrial Revolution. In Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Fourth-Industrial-Revolution-2119734
73. Shestakofsky, B. (2017). Working Algorithms: Software Automation and the Future of Work. Work and Occupations, 44(4), 376–423. https://doi.org/10.1177/0730888417726119
74. Siapka, A. (2023). AI-driven Automation as a Pre-condition for Eudaimonia. Proceedings of the 2023 AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society, 993–994. https://doi.org/10.1145/3600211.3604743
75. Proceedings of International Conference on Communication and Artificial Intelligence. (2022). In V. Goyal, M. Gupta, S. Mirjalili, & A. Trivedi (Eds.), Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems. Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0976-4
76. Souto-Otero, M., Brown, P., & Freebody, S. (2023). High skilled workplaces, technological change and employment: Can educational reform do it? International Journal of Educational Research, 122, 102265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2023.102265
77. Spencer, D. A. (2018). Fear and hope in an age of mass automation: debating the future of work. New Technology, Work and Employment, 33(1), 1–12. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12105
78. Spencer, D. A. (2022). Automation and Well-Being: Bridging the Gap between Economics and Business Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 187(2), 271–281. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-022-05258-z
79. Stephany, F., & Teutloff, O. (2024). What is the price of a skill? The value of complementarity. Research Policy, 53(1), 104898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2023.104898
80. Tavares, M. C., Azevedo, G., Vale, J., et al. (2023). The Accountant in the New Era : Renewing the profession for Society 5.0. 2023 18th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.23919/cisti58278.2023.10211382
81. Tokkonen, T., Tokkonen, H., Kinnula, A., et al. (2023). Dimensions of Influence in Trucking: Beyond Work Community. The 11th International Conference on Communities and Technologies (C&T), 133–143. https://doi.org/10.1145/3593743.3593769
82. Umbrello, S. (2023). Emotions and Automation in a High-Tech Workplace: a Commentary. Philosophy & Technology, 36(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-023-00615-w
83. Urina-Triana, M. A., Piñeres-Melo, M. A., Mantilla-Morrón, M., et al. (2024). Machine Learning and AI Approaches for Analyzing Diabetic and Hypertensive Retinopathy in Ocular Images: A Literature Review. IEEE Access, 12, 54590–54607. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2024.3378277
84. Quaquebeke, N. V., & Gerpott, F. H. (2023). The Now, New, and Next of Digital Leadership: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) Will Take Over and Change Leadership as We Know It. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 30(3), 265–275. https://doi.org/10.1177/15480518231181731
85. Viguri Axpe, M. R. (2024). COMPLEJIDAD, INTELIGENCIA ARTIFICIAL Y ÉTICA. Revista Iberoamericana de Complejidad y Ciencias Económicas, 2(2), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.48168/ricce.v2n2p63
86. Villagomez Palacios, A.H. (2025). The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society: A Systematic Review of its Influence in Social, Economic, and Technological Areas. Ciencia Latina Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal, 9(1), 8150–8172. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v9i1.16468 https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v9i1.16468
87. Villalobos López, J. (2025). Impacto de la inteligencia artificial en la economía mexicana: producción, empleo y educación superior. Ad-Gnosis, 14(15), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.21803/adgnosis.14.15.906
88. Wanasinghe, T. R., Gosine, R. G., Petersen, B. K., et al. (2024). Digitalization and the Future of Employment: A Case Study on the Canadian Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Occupations. IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, 21(2), 1661–1681. https://doi.org/10.1109/tase.2023.3238971
89. Wang, D., Weisz, J. D., Muller, M., et al. (2019). Human-AI Collaboration in Data Science. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 3(CSCW), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1145/3359313
90. Wang, W., Pei, S., & Sun, T. (2023). Unraveling generative AI from a human intelligence perspective: A battery of experiments. Manuscript posted on SSRN, Article ID 4543351.
91. Weibel, A., Schafheitle, S., & van der Werff, L. (2023). Smart Tech is all Around us–Bridging Employee Vulnerability with Organizational Active Trust‐Building. Journal of Management Studies, 62(5), 1914–1944. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12940
92. Willcocks, L. (2020). Robo-Apocalypse cancelled? Reframing the automation and future of work debate. Journal of Information Technology, 35(4), 286–302. https://doi.org/10.1177/0268396220925830
93. Zazueta-López, DE, Morales- Avila, MC, Romero-Rubio, SA, and Zazueta-López, JE (2024). Challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in education and the labor market. Pares-Social Sciences Journal, 4(1), 9–28.
94. Zúñiga Sánchez, O. (2024). El impacto de ChatGPT en la formación y producción académica: que no cunda el pánico. RIDE Revista Iberoamericana Para La Investigación y El Desarrollo Educativo, 14(28). https://doi.org/10.23913/ride.v14i28.1867
© 2025 by the EnPress Publisher, LLC. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.

Copyright © by EnPress Publisher. All rights reserved.

TOP