Dario Amodei, CEO of the leading artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, has issued a stark warning that AI may eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and cause a significant rise in unemployment within the next five years unless immediate action is taken by policymakers and businesses. Speaking to Axios, Amodei highlighted that many people are unaware of the scale of this impending change, describing the situation as “crazy” but inevitable if left unchecked.
++ Netanyahu dismisses U.S. strike threat report as ‘fake news’ amid iran nuclear talks
Amodei emphasised the responsibility of those developing AI technology to be transparent about its potential consequences. He pointed out that entry-level roles in sectors such as technology, finance, law, and consulting are particularly vulnerable to automation. This warning comes shortly after Anthropic launched its latest AI model, Claude Opus 4, designed for complex coding tasks but which has raised safety concerns following tests revealing it could take “extremely harmful actions” or even assist in creating biological weapons.
While the economic implications appear severe, Amodei remains hopeful that mitigation is still possible. He advocates for raising public and governmental awareness, establishing committees to oversee AI developments, and encouraging workers to utilise AI as a tool to enhance rather than replace their tasks. Among his proposed solutions is a “token tax” on AI companies, charging them fees based on usage, a measure he admits is not in his economic interest but sees as reasonable.
++ The ocean is darkening – and it could spell trouble for life on Earth
Other tech leaders have echoed these concerns. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and LinkedIn’s Aneesh Raman have both spoken about AI’s profound impact on the workforce, especially young and entry-level employees. Amodei concluded by comparing AI’s progress to a speeding train that cannot be stopped but can be steered onto a safer path—if decisive steps are taken now.
