2025-09-18T09:28:01Z
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The cofounders of Anthropic, one of the most prominent artificial intelligence research companies, have repeatedly emphasized that the rapid evolution of AI carries an imminent risk of displacing a vast number of human jobs. Their central concern, which they have voiced with growing urgency, is that technological progress in this domain is advancing at a pace too fast to be ignored, and the disruptions it may unleash could be profound and destabilizing.

Dario Amodei, the company’s CEO, explained that he felt compelled to speak candidly about these risks because the probability of significant economic and social disruption appeared to him not just possible, but sufficiently likely to demand transparency. His reasoning, expressed at the Axios AI+ DC Summit, pointed out that when one is dealing with processes that grow at an exponential rate, predicting outcomes becomes inherently uncertain. Nevertheless, he argued, there exists enough likelihood of sweeping change that global society deserves advance notice. In his own words, he underscored the responsibility to disclose uncomfortable realities, rather than allow optimism or complacency to obscure them.

On the policy front, Jack Clark, Anthropic’s cofounder and head of policy, reinforced this stance by asserting that the scale of disruption on the horizon necessitates a carefully crafted policy response. Speaking at the same event, he warned that decision-makers cannot afford to wait until the disruption is fully visible, since by then it may be too late to minimize harm. His remarks highlighted that the next half decade could see upheavals in employment of such a scope that existing frameworks of regulation and economic guidance might prove insufficient, requiring instead deliberate planning and intervention.

These statements place Anthropic’s leadership among a steadily expanding circle of technology executives, investors, and business leaders who have publicly warned about the labor market transformations that artificial intelligence may trigger. A recurring theme within this discourse is the vulnerability of white-collar, entry-level positions, particularly those within corporate environments where repetitive, knowledge-based tasks could be efficiently automated by software systems.

This concern is not speculative for Amodei. As far back as May, he told Axios that within roughly five years, AI could plausibly eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs. He warned that an impact of this magnitude would almost certainly push the unemployment rate sharply upward, potentially reaching levels as high as 10 to 20 percent. These estimates, though striking, were not framed as certainties, but as credible possibilities that must be taken seriously to avoid strategic unpreparedness. Just weeks ago, he echoed similar warnings in an interview with the BBC, specifying that industries most likely to experience early disruptions include law, finance, and consulting—fields traditionally considered both prestigious and stable, but which rely heavily on precisely the type of analytical and text-based tasks that AI is rapidly mastering.

During the Axios event, Amodei also received a question about his so-called “p(doom) number,” a shorthand term in technology circles referring to the estimated probability that artificial intelligence could ultimately cause catastrophic harm to humanity. His response was stark but measured. He suggested that there exists approximately a one-in-four chance—25 percent—that the outcomes of AI development could be extraordinarily negative, to the extent that they may go catastrophically wrong. Yet, at the same time, he balanced this by asserting a 75 percent likelihood that the trajectory will be overwhelmingly positive, with AI ultimately delivering transformative benefits to society at large. This dual perspective reveals not only uncertainty in the technology’s future path, but also the profound stakes involved as AI continues its rapid ascent.

In sum, Anthropic’s leaders have made clear that they are not offering theoretical musings but articulating what they regard as realistic forecasts shaped by current technological trends. While they openly acknowledge both risk and opportunity, their call for preparedness—particularly through policy intervention and honest dialogue—is a plea for society to engage responsibly with a technology poised to redefine the nature of work, the structure of industries, and potentially even the stability of economies worldwide.

Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/anthropic-ceo-warning-world-ai-replacing-jobs-necessary-2025-9