AI Experts Predict ‘Terrible Decade’ Ahead as White-Collar Jobs Face Major Threat from Automation
World News | June 7, 2025 | As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, researchers at leading AI startup Anthropic have issued a stark warning: a major decline in white-collar employment is likely within the next five years, potentially ushering in a “pretty terrible decade” for professionals in fields traditionally considered safe from automation.
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Speaking on the Dwarkesh Patel Podcast, Anthropic’s researcher Sholto Douglas predicted that white-collar roles in finance, technology, law, and consulting could soon be overtaken by AI systems—even without major breakthroughs in the near term.
“Even if progress in AI stalls, the current suite of algorithms is sufficient to automate white-collar work—if paired with the right kind of data,” said Douglas. “It seems almost overdetermined that this will happen in the next five years.”
According to Douglas, the shift could result in a steep decline in traditional employment, before society and labor markets adapt to the new reality.
Trenton Bricken, another member of Anthropic’s technical team, echoed the urgency:
“We should expect to see [white-collar jobs] automated within the next five years.”
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei further criticized the global policy response to AI’s rapid capabilities, warning that governments are downplaying the economic fallout.
“We have a duty to be honest about what is coming. Unemployment could rise by 10% to 20%, and most people aren’t even aware of the scale of change AI is about to trigger,” said Amodei.
He cautioned that both AI companies and governments need to stop “sugarcoating” the implications of AI-driven automation, especially for sectors with traditionally secure employment.
AI and Employment, White Collar Automation, Anthropic AI, AI Job Losses, AI in Law, Future of Work, Automation Threat, Dario Amodei, Sholto Douglas, AI Ethics
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