The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the structure of the workplace. In recent years, entry-level positions traditionally filled by university graduates have become less available as automation has expanded, contributing to greater difficulty for new graduates entering the job market. This pressure is not limited to younger workers. Middle and senior managers are also facing growing uncertainty as AI increasingly takes over routine analytical and administrative tasks. For workers in their fifties who are supporting families, sudden job loss during this transition can create serious financial strain and long-term instability.
The disruption in the labor market has also affected retirees in their sixties. Many people who might otherwise expect to enjoy 
retirement are returning to work because their adult children are struggling in a weaker job market. Retired civil servant Mr. Lau illustrates this pressure. He previously received a monthly pension of more than HK$25,000, which was enough to support a stable household. However, his son, who graduated from university two years ago, has been unemployed after repeated setbacks in the job search. As a result, Mr. Lau now gives him HK$1,0000 a month for basic expenses while cutting back on his own spending, including travel that he once enjoyed.
Mr. Lau is still able to rely on his pension, but the situation may be more difficult for retirees from the private sector who do not have the same level of financial security. To supplement their income, some people in their sixties return to the labor market and take physically demanding or low-paid jobs. For example, some work as residential security guards, enduring 12-hour shifts for a monthly wage of just over HK$15,000. In such cases, retirement becomes less a period of rest than a continued effort to sustain financial stability.
At the same time, homeownership has become increasingly difficult for many younger adults, and dependence on parental support is becoming more common. In some families, even married adults with children rely on grandparents for childcare and financial subsidy. This creates a situation in which one older generation is expected to support three generations at once. From this perspective, the employment disruption associated with AI is not only changing workplaces but also placing sustained economic pressure on families across the young, middle-aged, and elderly generations.
