As the wave of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to sweep across industries, concerns are mounting over the future job prospects for young people. This week, significant job losses have been reported, signaling what many experts believe is just the beginning of a much larger shift in the employment landscape.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 has projected that 92 million jobs will be displaced by AI over the next four years. Unlike past industrial revolutions, the jobs being automated today are predominantly middle-class, white-collar roles that require tertiary education.
AI’s Impact on White-Collar Jobs
In a striking development, WiseTech Global, Australia’s largest listed tech company, announced that 29% of its workforce would be replaced by AI. CEO Zubin Appoo stated, “The era of manually writing code as a core act of engineering is over.” Meanwhile, Harlequin, the world’s largest publisher of novels, has begun replacing human translators with AI, raising concerns about the future of human authors.
A 2025 report from Stanford University found that employment in fields most exposed to AI, such as accountancy, administration, customer service, and computer programming, had already dropped by 13% since 2022. These early signs suggest a looming transformation in the job market.
The Generational Divide
The rapid adoption of AI technologies is creating a generational divide, with younger workers facing an uncertain future. Dario Amodei, CEO of the AI company Anthropic, predicts that 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs will disappear within one to five years. This poses a significant challenge for the next generation, who may find themselves without traditional pathways to career advancement.
Matt Shumer, CEO of OthersideAI, highlights the growing gap between public perception and the reality of AI’s impact on jobs. He notes that the accelerating ability of AIs to build new AIs is widening this gap, making it difficult for people to prepare for the changes ahead.
“The gap between public perception and current reality is now enormous, and that gap is dangerous… because it’s preventing people from preparing,” Shumer warns.
The Role of Policymakers
As AI continues to reshape the job market, policymakers face the challenge of ensuring that the benefits of AI are distributed equitably. There is a growing concern that the economic gains from AI will primarily benefit owners and shareholders, exacerbating existing inequalities.
The American laissez-faire approach to AI, which involves channeling public funds to private enterprises in the hope that benefits will trickle down, is under scrutiny. Critics argue that this approach may not adequately address the widening wealth gap or the potential for increased unemployment.
Looking Ahead
The current trajectory of AI development suggests that the intergenerational contract—to leave the world better for the next generation—is at risk. Young people are increasingly questioning what future awaits them in a world where traditional knowledge work may become obsolete.
As the automation of white-collar work continues, the transfer of wealth towards the owners of capital is deepening the divide between generations. The challenge for today’s leaders is to find ways to bridge this gap and ensure a more equitable future for all.
In the face of these challenges, the question remains: What will the next generation do? As AI continues to transform industries, young people and their parents are left grappling with an uncertain future, searching for new paths in an ever-evolving job market.
