The article in the url below by Sal Kahn (the founder/CEO of the education company, Khan Academy) is interesting because it presents a problem -- an impending surplus of workers:
"On my way to meet a friend in Silicon Valley a few weeks ago, I passed three self-driving Waymos gliding through traffic. These cars are everywhere now, moving as if they've been part of the landscape forever. … My friend told me that a huge call center in the Philippines — a center his venture capital firm had invested in — had just deployed A.I. agents capable of replacing 80 percent of its work force. … I believe artificial intelligence will displace workers at a scale many people don't yet realize. … In the coming years, A.I. and robotics are likely to significantly reduce the level of human labor needed in occupations as diverse as warehouse work and software engineering. We've seen economic displacement caused by globalization and immigration lead to frustration and division. The next wave, fueled by automation, will hit faster and cut deeper."
The author then presents a potential solution to that problem -- an impending deficit of workers:
"The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nearly two million open health care jobs each year for the next decade. UNESCO estimates a global shortage of 44 million teachers by 2030. The construction industry needs more than 500,000 additional workers annually just to meet demand, and openings for electricians and plumbers are growing faster than average. The hospitality and elder care industries — work rooted in empathy and presence — are expanding, not shrinking. There is no shortage of meaningful work — only a shortage of pathways into it."
The disconnect between the two scenarios (the problem and the solution) seems gaping. Or perhaps, as the author suggests (although he is clearly not a disinterested party), it is our lack of awareness of the gap that is the issue, along with our unwillingness to invest in the education and retraining required to fill it.
David
David Chandler
Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation (6e)
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A.I. Will Displace Workers at a Scale Many Don't Realize
By Sal Kahn
December 28, 2025
The New York Times
Late Edition – Final
SR4
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/27/opinion/artificial-intelligence-jobs-worker-training.html
