Is AI Taking Our Jobs? (Spoiler: Yes. Next question?)
- Investor Publication
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
The debate over AI’s impact on the workforce is still going strong: Will it create a new boom of roles, or lead to mass displacement?
Historically, the optimists have a strong case. We’ve seen this before. The invention of the internet and the introduction of the Excel spreadsheet were both predicted to cause massive job losses. Instead, they did the opposite—they unlocked levels of productivity and new industries we couldn't have imagined.
However, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that this time is fundamentally different.
While previous technologies acted as tools to help humans work better, AI has the unique ability to act autonomously. It isn't just making us more productive; in many instances, it is performing the core activities of the role faster and more accurately than a human can, i.e. it doesn't really need us in the middle for many tasks.
We don't have to speculate about this—we just have to look at the recent decisions made by Fortune 500 companies:
Amazon: Recently cut 14,000 white-collar roles.
Block: Reduced their workforce by 40%.
Salesforce: Implemented a 6% cut in 2025.
That is just to name a few, there are dozens more announced. In almost every instance, these companies cited efficiency gains from AI as a primary driver for these structural changes.
A warning to the next generation, the outlook for new entrants into the workforce is particularly sobering. ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott recently went on record stating that college graduate unemployment could hit 30% in the coming years. For context, that is a higher rate than during the worst years of the Great Depression.
This suggests that the debate is largely over. The evidence shows that AI is already replacing human headcount at scale, and this trend will likely accelerate as the technology becomes more integrated into corporate infrastructure.
It time to retool or be left behind, The world has changed, and our strategy for career longevity must change with it. We can no longer rely on traditional degrees alone.
To current professionals: It is time to retool and "uptool." We must find ways to use AI to evolve our roles rather than being replaced by them.
To students in the Liberal Arts or Humanities: It is critical to re-evaluate the ROI of your education. Save your mom and dad some money because, without a technical foundation or a plan to integrate with AI, you’re basically donating your tuition to a building you’ll never work in.
The "debate" is over. The evidence is sitting in the "Career" section of every Fortune 500 website—or rather, the lack thereof.
We are moving from a world of "How do I use this tool?" to "How do I survive this tool?" Those who adapt and integrate AI into their workflow might just make it. To those still waiting for the "tech bubble" to burst so we can go back to 2019...see you on the unemployment line.
The time to pivot isn't next year—it’s now. Good luck out there.
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