🤖 AI is coming for your job... sooner than we thought
According to an article published today by Decrypt, Artificial Intelligence is already entering the labor market in real-time, and it's happening much faster than experts predicted.
🔥 Massive layoffs among “white-collar” workers
In May, Microsoft eliminated more than 6,000 software engineer positions to focus its efforts on AI tools.
That same month, IBM cut thousands of positions in Human Resources, and Meta laid off 3,600 employees during its transition to an “AI-first” strategy.
Meanwhile, unemployment benefit claims are reaching their peak since last fall, with companies like P&G and Starbucks anticipating cuts (partly related to AI).
📉 Automation of cognitive tasks: a silent tsunami
It is estimated that between 40% and 80% of office tasks could be automated in the near future.
Dario Amodei (Anthropic) warns that in just 1 to 5 years, up to half of entry-level jobs could disappear.
🌐 AGI is around the corner
Although Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) systems are not here yet, they may emerge within five years.
Figures like Ben Goertzel (SingularityNET) suggest that once AGI is achieved, automation could quickly extend to virtually all occupations, from doctors to plumbers.
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🧭 What do experts tell us today about this challenge?
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO of Klarna, warns that AI could trigger an economic recession if it displaces white-collar jobs on a large scale, and criticizes those who downplay its immediate effects.
Dario Amodei (Anthropic) urges students and early professionals to develop exclusively human skills: creativity, empathy, problem-solving.
Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind) argues that AI will also generate “very valuable” jobs and recommends studying mathematics, physics, and computer science to prepare.
From Time, analysts emphasize that the future of work is not an imposed destiny, but the result of political and structural decisions: Will you encourage redistribution (e.g., Universal Basic Income)? Will you introduce reforms so that AI complements rather than replaces?
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💡 Reflection: How to face this labor earthquake?
Action Detail
Upskilling and proactive transition Training in AI, critical thinking, human leadership.
Policies and regulation Transparency in AI, right to adaptation, tri-partite dialogue (government‑business‑workers).
Reevaluation of work Redefine how we value human work, promoting roles where empathy and creativity are key.
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📌 In conclusion:
AI-powered automation is no longer a distant projection: it is the reality of the present, and its effects on employment are hitting us now. For the first time, the bulk of the cuts significantly affects white-collar employment, paving the way for an unprecedented economic transformation.
But it's not too late to choose: Do we want AI to replace people or empower them? Our future of work depends on us acting decisively.