What jobs will survive in the age of AI?
In just a few days, there have been two news stories related to Amazon: a workforce reduction substantial enough to require a collective dismissal procedure (ERE) and a multi-million dollar agreement with OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. This is no coincidence. What is Amazon's long-term goal? To eliminate three-quarters of its staff through automation and artificial intelligence. In doing so, it joins other tech companies on the path already taken: leveraging technology to reduce labor costs and increase productivity.
Unfortunately, Amazon's enormous financial success comes with some negative externalities that have yet to be addressed: low-quality jobs, reduced public revenue due to tax avoidance, and the accelerated closure of brick-and-mortar stores. It's a prime example of the "winner takes all" model. Both of the aforementioned news stories are a further step in this direction.
Beyond Amazon, the aggregate impacts of AI integration into the labor market are beginning to be assessed. One of the more robust quantifications that have been carried outIn the United States, a study tracked the payrolls of approximately 4 million workers between 2021 and July 2025. Unsurprisingly, it revealed job losses, particularly among young people aged 22 to 25 seeking their first job. These are young people with the knowledge—the same knowledge that AI might possess—but no experience. The hardest-hit sectors include software development, customer service, marketing and communications, accounting, finance, and administrative support. People will still be needed in these areas, but far fewer than are currently being trained.
Conversely, in jobs where AI can complement and enhance human capabilities, employment has increased. Examples include nursing and maintenance technicians, professions where technology enhances work processes, but where human intervention remains irreplaceable.
It's still too early to know which way the balance will tip—that is, whether the jobs created by AI will offset those that disappear. If Amazon's situation is any indication—a three-quarters reduction in its workforce—then we're in trouble. There are also questions about how quickly these changes will occur within companies and whether the labor market will be able to adjust to them without too much disruption.
Young people looking for career paths less likely to be replaced by AI should consider professional domestic work, cooking, or caregiving. Jobs guaranteed for the coming decades will require rolling up sleeves, getting your hands dirty, lifting heavy objects, and using your humanity to care for vulnerable or dependent people. Who would have thought it?