We’ve been talking about AI stealing jobs ever since ChatGPT went viral in late 2022, and that chatter has increased ever since. AI models receive amazing new abilities on a regular basis. These allow companies to automate some tasks and replace humans with AI programs in the process.
But there’s been a lot of sugar-coating whenever those responsible for the AI tools that would lead to this revolution in the workforce have addressed the risk. Unsurprisingly, the high-ranking execs leading the AI effort would rarely speak candidly about the problem, likely fearing the backlash. That’s assuming people are worried that AI will take their jobs because some might be in denial of the possibility.
All of that changed this week, as Dario Amodei gave the world the stark warning it needs before the inevitable happens.
In an interview, Anthropic’s CEO said that AI could steal nearly half of all entry-level white-collar jobs, leading to a massive spike in unemployment. It might happen overnight as AI products mature and prove their worth as human replacements. As for the human employees themselves, they might be caught off-guard if AI firms and the government don’t do more to prepare them.
“Most of them are unaware that this is about to happen,” Amodei told Axios. “It sounds crazy, and people just don’t believe it.”
Amodei gave several examples of jobs the AI might take over once it can replace humans. Entry-level jobs in tech, finance, law, consulting, and other white-collar professions will be eliminated on a scale and with a speed previously unseen.
Lawmakers can’t grasp what’s about to happen, and CEOs of other companies are aware of what’s coming are afraid to speak. These aren’t just the heads of AI firms deploying job-stealing tools right now, but companies already looking to cut costs by using AI software instead of people.
“Cancer is cured, the economy grows at 10% a year, the budget is balanced — and 20% of people don’t have jobs.” That’s one scenario that Amodei suggested. I was a fan of Amodei for his opinions around AI development and the grander scheme of things, but this warning, no matter how scary it might seem, makes me an even bigger fan.
The world needs more honesty from those at the forefront of AI to safely transition to the next phase of our existence, a world where AI can replace certain jobs and improve the world without hurting people.
“We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming,” Amodei told Axios. “I don’t think this is on people’s radar.”
The CEO also explained how things are going down. The following things are all happening simultaneously.
First, companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google release more powerful AI models that can outperform humans.
Second, the US government, fearing it will lose the AI war to China or that it will worry workers, does little to warn the workforce about thecoming revolutiong or to prepare them for careers in the post-AI world.
Third, most Americans are unaware of what the AI can do and how it can threaten their jobs.
There will soon come a time when business leaders decide to start replacing humans with AI. It’ll happen overnight, and the public will realize the danger once it’s already there. The whole thing might happen before Trump’s second term is over and could be a big issue in the 2028 campaign.
The consequences could be disastrous, and Amodei did not shy away from presenting a gloomier future where the concentration of wealth could lead to massive inequality.
“It could become difficult for a substantial part of the population to really contribute,” Amodei said. “And that’s really bad. We don’t want that. The balance of power of democracy is premised on the average person having leverage through creating economic value. If that’s not present, I think things become kind of scary. Inequality becomes scary. And I’m worried about it.”
That said, Amodei won’t stop developing better Claude AI versions. Anthropic just released Claude 4, an AI so powerful that better safety guardrails are needed to ensure it doesn’t help anyone with more nefarious activities.
The CEO also has suggestions on how to deal with the AI-led job revolution. He says the government and AI companies should be more transparent about what’s happening so workers are aware of the risks.
Employees should be aware of the abilities of AI and understand how AI can help. This could give them a better chance to adapt to the post-AI landscape. The same goes for officials who might not understand AI or underestimate it.
I said not too long ago that you should chat with ChatGPT, even if you hate AI, to prepare for what’s coming. Amodei’s warning should be even clearer.
Interestingly, Anthropic’s CEO proposed another solution that could benefit those people affected by AI: taxes. Amodei said that taxes on people like him and especially AI companies could help. He proposed some sort of “token tax” where 3% of the revenue of an AI firm goes “goes to the government and is redistributed in some way.”
Whether you’re worried AI will take your job or not, you should read the entire article over at Axios.
