AI Will Create Jobs Rather Than Cause Mass Unemployment Despite Disruption
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-m--solomon. "Opinion | A.I. Is a Job Creator - The New York Times." May 22, 2026. www.nytimes.com
The Gist
The Goldman Sachs CEO argues that AI won't destroy jobs but will create new ones, just like past technologies did. He believes America's economy has always adapted to change by creating more jobs than it eliminates, and AI will follow this same pattern.
Conclusion
AI will not cause a 'job apocalypse' but will instead lead to job creation and economic growth, similar to previous technological disruptions in U.S. history
Premises
- The U.S. has a long track record of creating new jobs in response to technological disruption, from electrification in the 1900s to the digital revolution of the 1990s
- AI may automate 25% of current work hours, but this will likely make people more productive rather than eliminate jobs entirely
- Historical data shows job growth has outpaced population growth - civilian employment increased 145% since 1962 while population aged 16+ grew only 128%
- New sectors emerge as others decline - healthcare now employs 18+ million workers while manufacturing declined, and AI is already creating 200,000+ construction jobs for data centers
- Just because a job can be automated doesn't mean it will be - ATMs didn't eliminate bank tellers, and technologies often enhance rather than replace human roles
- The American labor market is highly dynamic, with companies creating and destroying 25-35 million jobs annually, providing flexibility for AI-driven changes
- AI is already creating new job categories requiring human judgment, such as managing 'agentic AI' and incorporating it into workflows, compliance, and validation
Assumptions
- Historical patterns of technological adaptation will continue to apply to AI
- The U.S. economy will remain innovative and entrepreneurial
- Public and private sectors will collaborate effectively on reskilling programs
- AI development will follow predictable patterns rather than causing unprecedented disruption
- Market forces will naturally create new jobs to replace automated ones