All articles tagged with #jobs
CNN argues that the U.S. economy looks solid on paper—2.2% growth in 2025, a strong job market, wage gains, and inflation easing with a stock market near record highs—yet consumer confidence remains near historic lows, affordability problems in housing and child care persist, and rising delinquencies plus a widening wealth gap paint a more mixed, politically charged picture ahead of the State of the Union.
Public sentiment toward AI is turning negative as voters worry about children’s safety, job displacement, surveillance, and the energy costs of data centers; polls show high distrust of AI and skepticism about corporate use, with governors noting a looming political backlash that could shape 2028 elections.
Johnson & Johnson announced more than a $1 billion investment to build a next-generation cell-therapy manufacturing facility in Lower Gwynedd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, expanding U.S. manufacturing capacity, creating 500+ biomanufacturing jobs and up to 4,000 construction roles, as part of a broader $55 billion U.S. investment through 2029 to advance cancer, immune-mediated, and neurological therapies.
Andrew Yang warns on Substack that AI will wipe out millions of white-collar jobs in 12–18 months, predicting desk-based roles from mid-career professionals to coders are at risk, with layoffs potentially triggering a competitive race to cut staff and ripple effects across service sectors as demand for human labor declines.
An opinion piece argues that AI is already reshaping the job market by displacing mid-level, female-dominated roles and prompting a difficult societal transition, while noting that some observers doubt the scale of an outright 'AI apocalypse.'
BrewDog has enlisted AlixPartners to attract new investors, a move that could breakup the Aberdeenshire brewer. Unite says staff are upset and worried about their futures, with some having hours cut, while management says the step is prudent and will not affect day-to-day operations. The company employs about 1,400 people across its sites, including Ellon.
The U.S. economy starts 2026 in a Goldilocks balance: solid growth and a firm job market (January +130,000 jobs, unemployment 4.3%) with CPI at 2.4% YoY and core 2.5%, near the Fed's target. But revisions show average monthly job gains near zero over the past year, AI-driven cost cuts may be trimming high-paying roles, and some prices (electricity, natural gas, beef, coffee) remain elevated. Markets look steady yet vulnerable to AI-profitability fears. Bottom line: economy and markets appear solid, though underlying data point to softer footing beneath the surface.
AI safety expert Dr. Roman Yampolskiy warns that as early as 2027 up to 99% of human jobs could disappear due to artificial general intelligence and automation, highlighting a potential tectonic shift in economies, education, and policy. While many tasks may be automated, only a small set of human-centric roles may persist, sparking ongoing debate about which occupations survive and how society should adapt—potentially accelerating changes in training, safety nets, and employment strategies.
ADP's January private-sector payrolls rose just 22,000, far behind economists' 45,000 forecast and December's revised 37,000. Gains were led entirely by education and health services (+74,000), while other sectors weakened—professional and business services shed 57,000 and manufacturing fell 8,000. Wage growth remains solid (4.5% for stayers; 6.4% for job-changers). With the government shutdown delaying the official January jobs report, data for January will be released on February 11, with CPI due February 13, highlighting a cooling labor market despite resilient wages.
The article surveys dire warnings that AI could displace millions of US jobs and discusses universal basic income pilots and proposals, but argues the dystopian scenario isn’t imminent; the real risk may be wage suppression and wealth concentration from AI investment, raising questions about who owns and controls any AI-generated wealth.
A Daily Kos analysis cites a BEA report showing the November trade deficit rose 95% as exports fell and imports rose, contradicting Trump’s tariff promises to revive U.S. manufacturing; manufacturing jobs declined in 2025, prices stayed elevated, and public support for tariffs is low, signaling the policy caused pain without delivering its claimed economic revival.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei argues in a lengthy essay that AI’s advancing power will test humanity and calls for remedies beyond safety, including a progressive wealth tax, philanthropy by tech leaders, and retooling workers rather than simply cutting jobs. He highlights Anthropic’s safety-focused “constitution” for Claude, urges enterprises to pursue innovation alongside cost savings, and outlines pathways for employee transitions, while advocating government intervention and billionaire philanthropy to mitigate economic disruption; he also notes forecasts of significant early-career job displacement and a near-term milestone for human-level AI.
At Davos, executives remain broadly optimistic that AI will boost productivity and create new jobs, with leaders like Nvidia's Jensen Huang and IBM's Rob Thomas citing faster delivery and ROI, Bill Gates urging policy preparation and potential AI taxation; but some warn AI could be used to justify layoffs, and Amazon is planning more cuts, reflecting a cautious mood on AI's impact on employment.
A scaled-down Sphere entertainment venue is planned for National Harbor in Maryland, featuring about 6,000 seats and LED displays similar to the Las Vegas Sphere. The project aims to become a regional landmark and boost the economy, with about 2,500 construction jobs and 4,750 operating jobs, backed by roughly $200 million in incentives. Public hearings, permitting, and potential financing mechanisms like TIFs are in play, and while a start date isn’t set, the plan is tied to state and county approvals and a $10 million operating grant in the 2027 budget.
Despite massive investment in AI, a leading analyst and multiple studies claim there is no clear, sustained productivity boost from AI yet. Data and experiments (including MIT findings) show limited revenue impact and even slower coding, with AI-driven job displacement anticipated by 2030—often offset by outsourcing or other cost-cutting, leaving ROI uncertain for now.