More than 200 economists, researchers and industry leaders have warned that AI could reshape labour markets before governments and public institutions are prepared to respond. Their central concern is that workers could lose livelihoods faster than education systems, social protection and employment policies can adapt.
The warning comes as AI-driven restructuring is already being felt in the technology sector. Reports cited in the discussion also point to mounting pressure on older workers and fewer opportunities for fresh graduates entering the job market.
A Transition Measured in Years, Not Generations
The group argues that advances in AI over the next decade could transform the economy more radically than the Industrial Revolution. The defining risk, they say, is speed rather than technology alone, because job displacement may happen within a compressed period.
When workers are displaced quickly, retraining and income protection may not arrive in time. That gap could turn a productivity opportunity into a broader disruption to livelihoods and social stability.
| Area | What the warning says |
|---|---|
| Signatories | More than 200 economists, researchers and industry leaders |
| Nobel economics laureates | 16 signatories |
| Time horizon | AI capability advances over the next 10 years |
| Primary concern | Large-scale labour displacement affecting livelihoods |
AI Should Complement People
The appeal is set out in an open letter titled We Must Act Now. It calls on economists, policymakers and technology leaders to develop incentives, guardrails and institutions for the economic consequences of transformative AI.
The signatories do not portray AI only as a threat. They recognise its potential to raise living standards and create new economic opportunities, while stressing that those benefits will not be broadly shared without deliberate policy preparation.
They advocate an approach in which AI complements human capabilities rather than forcibly replacing people. The distinction is central to their argument that productivity gains should not come at the expense of widespread livelihood losses.
Unusual Coalition Across the AI Debate
The letter includes MIT economists and Nobel laureates Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson, along with New York University economist Michael Spence. Other named supporters include former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, OpenAI researcher Sarah Friar and Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark.
Stanford economist Erik Brynjolfsson, the lead drafter of the statement, described the agreement across differing views as unusual in academic circles. He told The New York Times that a major understanding gap remains and that society may not be ready for the coming wave.
Acemoglu, who has been sceptical about AI’s effects, has highlighted the prospect of sharper pressure on workers. He compared the potential disruption with robotics in manufacturing, while warning that a much faster AI transition could be deeply damaging to livelihoods.
The Scale of the Effect Remains Unsettled
CNBC Indonesia reported that the letter has attracted support from figures with contrasting positions on AI development. Some see major economic opportunities in the technology, while others have long focused on the social and economic risks of automation.
There is still no consensus on the overall effect AI will have on the number of jobs. Some observers believe its impact is not yet clearly visible, while others expect larger consequences to emerge in the years ahead.
The letter does not set out a detailed solution for every potential risk. Its main message is that leaders should not wait until damage to employment and livelihoods has already spread before preparing a response.
