ServiceNow Sees Canada Retail Jobs Up 10,000 by 2031 as AI Shifts Skills to Python, SQL
Updated
Updated · retail-insider.com · Aug 15
ServiceNow Sees Canada Retail Jobs Up 10,000 by 2031 as AI Shifts Skills to Python, SQL
1 articles · Updated · retail-insider.com · Aug 15
Summary
Canadian retail employment is projected to stay essentially flat through 2031, rising by about 10,000 jobs, or 0.4%, according to ServiceNow’s AI Workforce Skills Forecast Report.
Routine tasks—not whole jobs—are expected to be automated, cutting demand for customer service, cashiering and cash handling while lifting demand for Python, SQL, data analysis and leadership.
Retail roles built around transactions face the biggest overhaul as self-checkout, automated payments and online commerce expand, with workers shifting toward problem-solving, mentoring and more complex customer interactions.
ServiceNow said the main hurdle for retailers is treating AI as a technology project rather than a workforce transformation, arguing that reskilling must be embedded in daily work instead of one-off training.
For retailers, the report points to competitive advantage coming less from adding headcount than from continuously reskilling existing staff for AI-enabled operations.