Since the rise of generative AI, one question has been on everyone’s mind: how many jobs will artificial intelligence eliminate in the coming years? ManpowerGroup, which is uniquely positioned to observe changes in the world of work by supporting companies, employees, and job seekers alike, will advocate a different perspective on the issue at VivaTech this year.
For Valérie Beaulieu-James, Chief Growth & Innovation Officer, fears surrounding job losses often overshadow a much more tangible and observable phenomenon.
“We are often very binary when discussing AI and employment,” she explains. “This red flag is constantly being waved, and I think it is an oversimplified way of framing the issue. The question today is not whether AI destroys jobs, but rather how it is already fundamentally transforming the world of work.”
A Deep Transformation for Businesses
This shift is no longer theoretical. In France, more than six out of ten employees already use AI several times a week in their professional activities, according to the Boston Consulting Group. AI has become part of everyday work practices, far beyond purely technical professions.
For businesses, the chaotic “AI frenzy” phase—where organizations wanted to “do AI” everywhere without much prior consideration—is now over. We have entered a new stage: maturity.
“Organizations are now trying to understand what they can realistically expect from AI and, above all, which use cases will generate clear added value,” says Valérie Beaulieu-James.
Business leaders have realized that this is “not only a technological transformation, but also an organizational one.”
Some activities are simply being automated, particularly repetitive tasks. Others are being accelerated, such as data analysis and report generation. Still others are evolving in their very nature by combining human intervention with algorithmic assistance.
“Today, partly thanks to AI, we provide companies with workforce mapping tools that help them identify which tasks belong to which category, what skills their teams will need to develop, and which positions they are likely to recruit for in the future,” explains the Chief Growth & Innovation Officer.
AI Is Even Reshaping Recruitment Processes
Within this broader context of business transformation, ManpowerGroup continues to emphasize one key message: ‘Human first, digital always.’
Technology is not an end in itself but rather a tool that serves people and, without them, “has no intrinsic value.”
Paradoxically, AI can even help re-humanize certain tasks and processes. Take human resources and the emergence of so-called “augmented recruiters.”
“When you receive 200 emails for a single job posting, it becomes difficult to find the time to respond to everyone—this goes beyond normal human capacity. Thanks to artificial intelligence, we can automatically send a message confirming receipt of an application. It may seem like a small thing, but it is reassuring and pleasant for candidates to know that everything has been properly sent and received,” says Valérie Beaulieu-James.
Another example developed by the group involves automated forms and customized conversational formats designed to learn more about candidates beyond their résumés.
This approach goes beyond a simple summary of skills to identify the true strengths of a profile and potentially give opportunities to candidates who might otherwise have been overlooked.
Demos, Job Dating, Startup Pitches… ManpowerGroup’s VivaTech Program
A partner of VivaTech since the event’s inception, ManpowerGroup will showcase practical demonstrations of AI applications in the workplace this year.
Visitors to the company’s booth will discover tools developed by the group as well as innovative startups from the sector. Selected from more than 200 applications submitted to the Startup Challenge, these startups will pitch AI-powered solutions focused on work, recruitment, and candidate experience.
Several discussions with clients and partners are also scheduled, both on VivaTech’s various stages and at the ManpowerGroup booth, covering topics such as inclusion, diversity, career guidance, and workforce support.
After engaging with businesses and innovation stakeholders, the group will dedicate Saturday to another audience: the general public.
The day will feature practical advice sessions on writing résumés, succeeding in job interviews, and exploring career transitions. It will also include a “job dating” event—designed like a speed-dating experience, but entirely professional—which will serve as ManpowerGroup’s closing activity for the 2026 edition of VivaTech.
