Artificial intelligence is reshaping the workplace, and its impact is increasingly being felt by older workers as well as younger professionals.

A new paper from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found that workers aged 55 and over in industries more exposed to AI are leaving their jobs at higher rates.

Geoffrey Sanzenbacher, a professor of economics and the study’s author, said these job transitions are being driven equally by unemployment and voluntary decisions to leave employment.

The research suggests that AI could affect the length and direction of older workers’ careers in several ways.

One possibility is that automation could replace some older workers, forcing them into unemployment or causing them to leave the workforce entirely.

Others may decide to move into jobs that are less affected by AI as employers increasingly introduce new technologies into the workplace.

The pressure to learn and adopt AI tools could also influence some workers to retire earlier than planned.

Sanzenbacher said the impact is statistically significant and can be particularly substantial in certain occupations.

The findings suggest that the rise of AI could have important consequences for older workers, especially those approaching retirement and those working in industries undergoing rapid technological change.