- AI is already displacing white-collar jobs , with major tech companies eliminating tens of thousands of positions in 2025 alone.
- Studies suggest that 40–80% of office-based tasks could soon be automated .
- Experts caution that the arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could lead to widespread job losses across both white- and blue-collar sectors.
- Prominent figures in AI predict AGI may emerge within the next few years — well ahead of earlier estimates.
Every week seems to bring fresh reports of AI-driven layoffs. In May 2025, Microsoft cut more than 6,000 software engineering roles as it shifted toward AI-powered code generation. Around the same time, IBM eliminated thousands of HR positions, and Meta reduced its workforce by 5%, or 3,600 employees, as part of a broader pivot to an AI-first strategy.
These aren’t isolated cuts — they signal a fundamental transformation in how businesses operate.
Recent filings for unemployment benefits have reached their highest levels since last fall, with industry giants like Procter & Gamble and Starbucks announcing significant restructuring plans. While some economic pressures stem from global trade shifts, one clear catalyst stands out: the rapid adoption of AI systems capable of performing routine work at unprecedented speed and scale.
This marks the early phase of what many economists and technologists are calling the Age of AI Disruption — a period defined by technological advancement and, inevitably, labor displacement.
And yet, we haven’t even reached the next major milestone in AI development: Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) .
Unlike today’s narrow AI systems — which excel at specific tasks like coding, data entry, or content creation — AGI would possess human-like reasoning abilities, enabling it to learn, adapt, and apply knowledge across a broad range of domains without reprogramming.
Many experts once believed AGI was decades away. But now, a growing number of voices within the AI community are warning that it could arrive far sooner than expected.
Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, recently reiterated his concern that AGI-level capabilities could emerge within the next two to three years. Similarly, Daniel Kokotajlo, a former OpenAI researcher turned AI safety advocate, published a report in May predicting AGI could be developed as early as late 2027.
Ray Kurzweil, Google’s director of engineering and renowned futurist, continues to project that AGI will become a reality by 2029 — a timeline he reaffirmed in his latest book, The Singularity is Nearer . Meanwhile, Ben Goertzel, CEO of SingularityNET, believes we’re “on track” for human-level AGI by that same year.
If these predictions hold true, the implications for the global job market are staggering.
“Right now, we’re seeing AI reshape white-collar work,” said Goertzel. “But once AGI arrives, no sector will be immune. We’ll need entirely new models for employment, education, and economic support.”
As automation accelerates, governments, educators, and business leaders face mounting pressure to rethink workforce development, reskilling programs, and social safety nets. The future of work is being rewritten — and the clock is ticking.
Stay informed. The Age of AI isn’t coming — it’s already here.
