A top Goldman Sachs economist says AI will displace the jobs of 15 million US workers (www.businessinsider.com)

Goldman Sachs economist Joseph Briggs predicts that the adoption of AI technologies could displace around 15 million jobs, approximately 9% of the U.S. workforce. Speaking on the bank’s podcast, he likened this shift to the tech upheaval of the late 1990s, noting that while job displacement is occurring—especially in sectors like tech and graphic design—historical trends suggest that technological advancements will also create new job opportunities. He highlighted that, historically, 85% of job growth comes from the creation of new roles following technological changes, and a modest increase in job creation could offset the jobs lost to AI. However, fellow podcast guest Neil Thompson from MIT cautioned that the transition might not be as rapid as AI's advancements imply. He pointed out the logistical and financial hurdles to widespread AI adoption, particularly in sensitive fields like medicine. Thompson argued that while many jobs may be partially automated, the landscape will not necessarily be one of complete job losses. Instead, workers may adapt to these changes incrementally, akin to how GPS technology transformed the roles of taxi drivers. As the job market cools—evidenced by a recent slowdown in job growth—both economists called attention to the ongoing evolution of work in the context of advancing AI.