JLL Says AI Won't Cut 88,000 Jobs

JLL's AI push could double robot use by 2030, yet its 88,000-person division will stay flat. Neil Murray, head of Real Estate Management Services, oversees nearly six billion square feet and says he despises the word 'headcount'. JLL tells investors headcount is stable and will only grow modestly through 2027, not shrink. A Fortune survey of 1,321 firms shows 89 % plan to shift facility budgets from labor to technology. Meanwhile 87 % expect outsourcing contracts to move to outcome-based pricing by 2030, cutting revenue tied to staff hours. Robotic scrubbers, lawn-care units and remote security are set to rise from 37 % today to 71 % adoption by 2030. The report notes a skilled-trades shortage, with 68 % of organizations reporting gaps. Economists say the U.S. will need 1.7 million such workers each year through 2035. Murray insists AI will create more human-centric jobs, not replace them, adding, "I hope those comments don't age badly."