Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang predicts that up to 50% of white-collar workers could lose their jobs as companies adopt artificial intelligence.
Writing on Substack, Yang said that as companies seek efficiency, competitors will quickly follow.
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“It will become a competition because the stock market will reward you if you cut headcount and punish you if you don’t,” Yang wrote. “As one investor put it, ‘Sell anything that consists of people sitting at a desk looking at a computer.’”
Yang said the impacts will extend beyond white-collar workers. Those who support office employees, such as janitors and food service staff, will also be affected.
“Let’s say you’re a dry cleaner, a dog walker or a hairstylist,” he wrote. “If people in your community stop going to the office, your business will suffer because there are fewer business shirts to launder, people will walk their dogs themselves, and they’ll cut back on trips to the salon.”
During his 2020 presidential campaign, Yang promoted a monthly universal basic income of $1,000 to assist displaced workers. So far, evidence suggests most job cuts are not related to AI.
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Data from JPMorgan Chase shows that 55,000 of more than 1.2 million job cuts in 2025 were due to AI.
“AI is fueling a record stock market and an active debate about the future of work, but based on current evidence it is not yet having a material impact on aggregate employment,” JPMorgan Chase global market strategist Stephanie Aliaga wrote. “For investors, the more useful question may be which companies are using AI to supercharge their workforce, rather than simply replace it, in ways that translate into lasting productivity gains.”
A new YouGov poll found that 63% of U.S. adults believe AI will lead to fewer jobs, while just 7% think it will help create jobs.
