The Apocalypse Is Postponed

A fresh piece in The Economist: the AI apocalypse for the labour market has been postponed. So far artificial intelligence is creating more jobs in the US than it destroys.

By the magazine's estimate, about 1M new jobs have appeared in the country since the current AI boom began, while roughly 200,000 layoffs since mid-2023 have been attributed to AI adoption.

There is a catch, though.

One of the main sources of new openings is building the infrastructure for AI. That has sharply raised demand for electricians, HVAC specialists, grid builders, engineers, and technicians.

Meanwhile employment in customer support has fallen by about 10%, and among secretaries and administrative assistants by about 15%. By 2035 the US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects another 752,000 office and administrative jobs to go.