Redazione RHC : 8 July 2025 09:11
The chairman of the American car company Ford, Jim Farley, has released a statement sharp on the future of the job market in the age of artificial intelligence. According to him, new technologies are capable of literally depriving half of white-collar workers of their jobs, that is, employees who work in the office and perform intellectual tasks.
At the international forum Aspen Ideas Festival, Farley noted that artificial intelligence has an asymmetric impact on the economy. He emphasized that, on the one hand, new technologies help and facilitate many processes, but on the other hand, they deal a severe blow to some professions. This is especially true for those who work in information processing, document flow and other office tasks.
Farley noted that advances in artificial intelligence will inevitably leave behind many workers who have been the backbone of the corporate world for decades. He noted that technology is improving the lives of many, but it also raises a serious question for society: What will happen to those left behind? He said the global community still doesn’t have a clear plan for how to support these people.
The conversation also touched on the future of manufacturing workers. Farley acknowledged that automation and robotics are gradually replacing people, but so far this is in a limited number of operations. He said that about 10% of processes in Ford plants are already performed by machines, and with the advent of humanoid robots, this percentage could rise to 20%. However, it will not be possible to completely replace people in production in the near future: according to Farley, human work remains a unique and in-demand activity.
However, the announcement of the cut of half of employees sounds particularly alarming in light of other forecasts. Previously, the CEO of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, accused companies and politicians of exaggerating the consequences of the introduction of artificial intelligence. He is convinced that the real picture is much bleaker and that unemployment in the United States could reach 20%. Amodei stressed that technology manufacturers are required to be honest and transparent about the future consequences.
There is no doubt about the severity of the changes taking place. Even Amazon CEO Andy Jassy admitted that the company is already preparing to reduce staff due to the widespread implementation of artificial intelligence. Amazon has already laid off around 30,000 employees this year and Jassy said that these measures will continue, as new technologies ensure high efficiency.
Fiverr CEO Micha Kaufman noted in his speech to employees that artificial intelligence threatens jobs in almost every category, from programmers to lawyers to support specialists. Kaufman called what’s happening a warning sign for everyone, regardless of profession.
The largest U.S. bank, JPMorgan Chase, hasn’t stood aside either. The bank’s chief executive, Marianne Lake, said that over the next few years, the company plans to cut up to 10% of its staff, replacing them with artificial intelligence algorithms. Shopify changed its hiring approach in the spring. Now, management requires managers to prove that tasks cannot be performed using AI before agreeing to expand the team.
Microsoft is also confirming the trend: the company announced the reduction of 9,000 employees, equivalent to 4% of the total staff. At the same time, the company continues to actively invest tens of billions of dollars in the development of artificial intelligence technologies. The threat of mass layoffs does not only concern the private sector. The Australian government, for example, is already implementing a policy on the responsible use of AI in government agencies. Australian Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has noted that it is important to consider people’s rights, interests and well-being when using AI in public services.
All events confirm a growing trend: AI is increasingly influencing the labor market, reducing the need for people and forcing companies and governments to look for new ways to adapt to inevitable changes.
Redazione