Australian AI Employment Report Flags Office Workers in Agribusiness as Most at Risk

A new Department of Employment and Workplace Relations report on AI and employment in Australia finds the overall labour market strong, with unemployment at 4.2 %. The analysis scores occupations by exposure to generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Routine‑cognitive roles – clerks, data‑entry operators, telemarketers and administrators – rank highest in exposure, while routine‑manual jobs like truck drivers, forklift operators and gardeners score less than half as exposed.

The report does not name farmers directly, but it highlights that the agribusiness supply chain depends heavily on the high‑exposure clerical positions – purchasing and logistics clerks, accounting staff, receptionists and HR administrators. Since ChatGPT’s launch, employment in the most‑exposed occupations grew by only 5.6 % compared with 9.5 % for the least‑exposed roles, indicating a widening gap. This suggests that while on‑farm physical work remains insulated, the administrative backbone of agriculture may face significant disruption from AI automation.