01Annual findings 2026
The great misconception about the AI job killer
What has measurably changed in European organisations, and what has remained a marketing promise.
Suitable for annual kick-off, leadership meeting, conference opening
What artificial intelligence really changes in companies, and what it does not.
Gerhard Kürner is the author and independent researcher behind Work After AI, the annual report on how artificial intelligence changes work, organisations and enterprise software. As Founder and CEO of 506.ai, he knows first-hand what it takes to implement AI.
113pages in the English edition of Work After AI 2026, free as a PDF
141verified sources, every figure checked against its primary source
9forecasts for 2027, graded publicly in the next report
30years of operational responsibility, 14 of them at voestalpine
The Great Misconception About the AI Job Killer.
The inaugural edition of the annual report breaks the job-killer headline down into three processes with different causes, moving at different speeds: the AI argument that serves the capital markets, the measurable career gap at entry level, and the long rebuild of organisations.
113 pages · 141 verified sources · 9 forecasts · version 1.2 · free under CC BY 4.0 · also as a machine edition for agents
Three findings from the report
5%
of American companies that use AI report any effect on their headcount at all.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey, 202619%
lower employment among 22- to 25-year-olds in exposed occupations, compared with their peers.
Source: Stanford Digital Economy Lab, Canaries in the Coal Mine, August 202680 vs 37
80 per cent report productivity gains of their own; 37 per cent see any impact on operating profit.
Source: McKinsey, The State of AI 2026Three of the nine forecasts for 2027
- 01No company in Germany, Austria or Switzerland with more than 10,000 employees justifies job cuts of more than 1,000 positions primarily with artificial intelligence.
- 02The gap between pilot and production does not close: the share of companies in which AI contributes a measurable 5 per cent or more to earnings stays below 10 per cent.
- 03At least three well-known companies reverse an AI-justified hiring freeze at entry level.
Every forecast names the metric against which it will be checked. The 2027 report will grade them publicly, alongside the dated forecasts of vendors, market researchers and academics.
Selected stages
- and more
Keynotes for owners, boards and executive teams who have a decision to make.
Gerhard Kürner's talks are not a futurist show. They are built on the findings of the report. He examines every topic through three lenses: technical, business and societal. Your audience leaves with an evidence-based assessment on which to base its own decisions.
02
The end of enterprise software as we know it
What agentic architectures mean for ERP, HR and finance systems, and what owners should look for when choosing vendors and making investments.
Suitable for IT, finance, HR
03
Transform the business model instead of starting over
Why established companies with customer access and domain knowledge have the advantage over AI start-ups, provided they move fast enough.
Suitable for owners, management boards, supervisory boards
04
Europe decides for itself
Digital sovereignty as a business decision: identifying dependencies, assessing alternatives, managing risks.
Suitable for industry, public sector, mid-sized companies
05
The entry-level gap
Why AI changes the entry level first, and why rebuilding the organisation takes longer than the debate about job losses would suggest.
Suitable for HR, education, associations
Formats
Keynote
A keynote lasts 45 minutes, with audience questions afterwards on request.
Fireside chat
In a fireside chat, he brings the findings of the report into the discussion.
Panel discussions
On a panel, he discusses the findings of the report with other experts, for example at the CIO Kongress by LSZ.
Publications
He writes guest articles, gives interviews and contributes to books and reports.
All formats are available in German and English and always build on the current report.
Request a keynoteSee how Gerhard Kürner engages an audience.
What organisers say about working with him.
Gerhard Kürner has been an important part of the Kitzbüheler Führungsforum since its founding, and his performance and strong stage presence have contributed significantly to its success. What I value most about him is that he keeps reinventing himself and consistently adapts his topics to current developments. He combines entrepreneurial experience with sound expertise and shows business owners and executives, in very concrete terms, what artificial intelligence actually changes in their companies, and what it does not. The Kitzbüheler Führungsforum would not be what it is today without him.
Gerhard Kürner is a popular guest on our conference stages in Austria and Germany, and he wins the audience over every time. With strong stage presence, deep expertise and a hugely likeable manner, he delivers exactly what IT leaders need: proven figures instead of empty promises. His talks make perfect sense of what AI actually changes in companies, and the discussion afterwards is about real decisions, not buzzwords.
We have known Gerhard Kürner for years. He speaks about artificial intelligence without exaggerating: clear findings, explained in plain language, always with an eye on what companies can actually do with them. That is exactly why we invited him to speak at marke[ding] impulse.
What has actually changed lately.
The AI job killer is a story told by capital markets, not by companies
Five percent of firms see any effect on headcount. The layoffs are real. The reason is not.
Read moreAI Is Leaving the Layoff Statistics, Not the Work
The layoff label falls from first to fourth place in the same week that finished work gets its record price
Read moreWhen Machines Write the Code, the Scarce Skill Is Saying What Correct Looks Like
A study undercuts its own title, the checking layer gets funded, and Nvidia buys the model hub
Read more
He builds what he writes about.
Gerhard Kürner is the author and independent researcher behind Work After AI, the annual report on how artificial intelligence actually changes work, organisations and enterprise software. His research draws on official statistics, peer-reviewed studies and the usage data of the AI providers themselves, with every figure checked against its primary source, and it is measured every year against his own verifiable forecasts. The report is self-funded and tied to no vendor, no model and no consultancy.
Owners and boards of established companies seek his assessment when they want to know what AI actually changes in their organisation. Executive teams bring him in when a diagnosis has to become an actual rebuild. He gives keynotes and publishes.
His perspective was shaped not at a desk but through three decades of operational responsibility. In the 1990s he delivered pioneering digital projects, including one of Austria's first streaming services. During 14 years at voestalpine, first in IT and later as head of Global Corporate Communication, he accompanied the group's growth from 3.6 to more than 12 billion euros in revenue. Since 2015 he has founded several companies in AI, digital communication and data-driven marketing, and in 2020 he founded 506.ai.
As Founder and CEO of 506.ai he builds what he writes about: AI systems in daily use at European companies and public institutions. As Co-Founder of Choose European he advances European digital sovereignty. He presents his thesis on the end of enterprise software as we know it as a keynote speaker at executive conferences in Germany and Austria.
Outside of work, Gerhard Kürner is a father of three sons and competes in hard enduro races, one of the most technically demanding disciplines in motorsport.
What organisers want to know in advance.
Who is Gerhard Kürner?
Gerhard Kürner is the author and independent researcher behind Work After AI, the annual report on how artificial intelligence changes work, organisations and enterprise software. As Founder and CEO of 506.ai, he knows first-hand what it takes to implement AI.
Who are his keynotes for?
For owners, management boards and supervisory boards of established companies, for executive teams with operational responsibility, and for associations and conferences looking for an evidence-based assessment rather than a futurist show.
What topics does he speak on?
Five topics: the great misconception about the AI job killer, the end of enterprise software as we know it, transforming the business model instead of starting over, Europe's digital sovereignty, and the entry-level gap. Every talk builds on the current report.
Which formats and languages are available?
A 45-minute keynote, with audience questions on request, as well as fireside chats, panels and event hosting. All formats are available in German and English.
What is Work After AI?
Work After AI is Gerhard Kürner's annual report. The 2026 edition draws on 141 verified sources and contains nine forecasts for 2027, which the next report will grade publicly. The English edition runs to 113 pages, the German original to 121, and since version 1.2 both editions also come as a machine edition for language models and agents. New analyses appear on workafterai.org throughout the year.
How do I request a keynote?
By email to gerhard@kuerner.at, ideally with the event, date and venue, audience and size, and the preferred format and length. You will usually receive a reply within two working days.
Request a keynote, discussion or contribution.
Requests for keynotes, discussions and publications go directly to Gerhard. You will usually receive a reply within two working days.
For a quick reply, please include: event, date and venue, audience and size, preferred format and length.