Commentary: The pressing question is no longer if AI will reshape jobs but how we respond

"The shockwaves from Jack Dorsey’s decision to cut around 4,000 jobs at Block because of artificial intelligence should serve as a wake-up call for everyone watching the labour market. These are not just headlines. This is one of the first high-profile examples of a major employer openly linking AI advances to job losses rather than simple cost cutting. CEOs are telling investors that “smaller, flatter and intelligence-native” teams represent the future of corporate structure, and markets are rewarding that view with share price gains.

 

"Thousands of workers found that even strong company performance and high profits did not safeguard their roles when artificial intelligence was framed as a productivity panacea. This moment highlights a stark truth about where we are in the future of work: we are transitioning from guessing about AI’s impact to seeing that transition play out in real time.

 

"For students, workers and business leaders alike, the pressing question is no longer if AI will reshape jobs but how we respond. We need policies, leadership and new social contracts that ensure innovation does not come at the expense of social stability."

 

His new book, AI: Anarchy or Abundance? is out now.