Hello from Tokyo, where Nikkei Asia recently hosted its live webinar on what to expect in Asia in 2026. (Subscribers can catch the recording here.)

The session covered predictions from Nikkei Asia editors (including yours truly) on everything from currencies and tariffs to elections and border clashes. The session ended with a Q&A segment, and one of the very last questions we took from viewers was about what the impact of AI will be on the job market next year.

The theme of the webinar was predictions, so naturally the question was phrased as what will happen, rather than what is happening already. Still, I think it underscores the tendency when talking about AI to always look to the horizon. Perhaps because so much of the impact currently is unclear or muddled — while AI is replacing some entry-level positions in some industries, for example, it is spurring hiring in others.