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Some German firms see AI reducing need for degrees, Ifo says

By Thomson Reuters Jun 12, 2026 | 4:43 AM

FRANKFURT, June 12 (Reuters) – Close to 20% of German companies that ​use artificial ‌intelligence are finding it easy to replace employees with university degrees with AI-enabled ‌staff ​without a ⁠degree, a ⁠survey by German economic research institute Ifo showed.

• The survey also ​showed that about 15% of the companies ⁠surveyed deemed ⁠it easy to ​replace experienced employees with ​AI-enabled staff with less ‌experience

• “AI is transforming the world of work and in some ⁠areas can even partially replace formal qualifications and experience,” says ⁠Ifo researcher ‌Anna Ruffert

• ⁠Retail and wholesale ​trade ‌companies signalled the ​highest readiness ⁠to make those staff switches among sectors, Ifo added

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger, Editing by Linda ​Pasquini)