The Rise of AI and How It Is Affecting Employment in 2026

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I wrote this on Facebook but I think it might be of interest here and a good discussion topic.

Isn't it ironic, that for generations, hundreds of years, education to have a career in the corporate world, finance,, advertising, marketing, sales, HR, operations, admin and management as well as industries such as education, art and design, copy writing, music, literature , STEM and so many others was the goal, the way out of poverty, the way to achieve social mobility and have a better life.

Manual jobs, such as construction workers, shop workers, farmers, gardeners, cleaners, health care, the dirty, gritty, physical labor jobs, were seen as dead end jobs, with no social mobility, and associated with crime, low income, instability and lack of education.

But now in 2026, AI is the buzzword. The corporate, STEM, and creative industries being wiped out because AI can do it faster, cheaper and with better results. A Masters degree, with years of industry experience used to signify job stability and be respected, they know what they are doing, and their payment reflects the skills and knowledge they have achieved.

Now that Masters degree, the skills and knowledge of the industry, are no longer needed by employers. With a phone and an AP, the employer gets a task done that looks good to them, without the outlay of time and money. They think, why should I have to pay someone when I can do it myself and then I keep the money.

So now in 2026, isn't it ironic that the manual labor jobs, the ones that for generations have been looked down on, are now the ones with the job stability.

Everything written on the internet is being used to train AI software. Every photo uploaded on the internet is being used to train AI software.

Need a company policy written, just ask an AI App, no need for a HR person to do it
Need some music for your event, just use an AI App and stream it, no need for a live band or DJ.
Need to design some packaging for your product, just use an AI Ap, no need for a graphic designer
Need to search for some information online, the first result is the AI over view, no need to waste time going to a website
Need to use social media to promote your business, just use an AI Ap to create a funny image and a bit of text, job done, no need to pay someone.

The more people use AI Aps, the more jobs are being lost across every industry and sector. AI is not just about making funny pictures for your friends and family, the rapid spread of usage is causing untold damage and changing every day life without the majority of people realizing what's happening.

 

[Christine]

There really is no way to stop it though--just like every other technology that moved us in a different direction, for better or for worse. I am still employed fortunately and have used AI for most of the things you listed. Right now, it's not a simple as say: just write me a company policy on paid time off. There is still a person that has to be there to provide AI the specific company requirements and to read the output of the policy because AI is very often incorrect. I am sure that will improve though.

I agree--it's not looking good for many professions. I believe there will always be humans required in the process but instead of say 10 design engineers in a firm, you may only need 2 to pair with the AI engineer.

What our various countries/governments will need to figure out is: what will people do? How will they get their beloved tax revenue if large swaths of the population don't have industries to work in. I mean, yeah, the trades fields are shorthanded, but they'll NEVER have enough positions to take on all the white collar workers.

 

[DCLMP]

I've heard some staggering predictions for unemployment. Who pays the taxes and who buys what's being produced when incomes decline? The current job market is already abysmal.

They are building data centers everywhere that use a tremendous amount of energy and employee very few people.

 

[citruscurtis]

They are building data centers everywhere that use a tremendous amount of energy and employee very few people.

Well then ...it is a revolution.... California imperial valley citizens who need the work...are protesting the Construction and Yuma is now backing off the center....no pay raise for the bureaucracy seat

 

[bettertheangel]

They still need people to operate the AI. It's not like CEOs of large corporations are using the AI to do grunt work themselves. There's a reduction in head count in a lot of businesses due to AI, but there are still people operating in those businesses.

I work in tech and I find other people's views on AI to be interesting. AI can pop out code that will develop into apps, but you still need someone who knows how to code to supervise the AI because it isn't perfect. I think that AI might be a threat to jobs in the short-term, but right now, most AI companies are burning through VC money to keep it cheap. It might get to the point where it's cheaper to hire people again. Or maybe it won't. I just think that AI isn't going to be the solution that a lot of companies think it will be in the long-term.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

For context I work in the SME sector, and I am seeing a huge impact. Before AI the owner operators of small businesses would outsource web development, marketing and social media, graphic design etc etc. Now with AI, owner operators of small businesses are reducing their outsourcing or cancelling their outsourcing as they just use AI themselves and they retain that expense as profit.

In the large corporations, I agree there will still be employment for humans to oversee the AI, but its lower down the food chain, in the SME sector, that the impact will be felt most.

 

[DCLMP]

They still need people to operate the AI. It's not like CEOs of large corporations are using the AI to do grunt work themselves. There's a reduction in head count in a lot of businesses due to AI, but there are still people operating in those businesses.

I work in tech and I find other people's views on AI to be interesting. AI can pop out code that will develop into apps, but you still need someone who knows how to code to supervise the AI because it isn't perfect. I think that AI might be a threat to jobs in the short-term, but right now, most AI companies are burning through VC money to keep it cheap. It might get to the point where it's cheaper to hire people again. Or maybe it won't. I just think that AI isn't going to be the solution that a lot of companies think it will be in the long-term.

I agree and I don't think AI is the reason for the current poor job market. I have heard some exactly what your saying AI being more expensive then humans. There are other reasons I think AI will fail in the short term. 20 years from now I don't know.

 

[ronandannette]

For context I work in the SME sector, and I am seeing a huge impact. Before AI the owner operators of small businesses would outsource web development, marketing and social media, graphic design etc etc. Now with AI, owner operators of small businesses are reducing their outsourcing or cancelling their outsourcing as they just use AI themselves and they retain that expense as profit.

In the large corporations, I agree there will still be employment for humans to oversee the AI, but its lower down the food chain, in the SME sector, that the impact will be felt most.

Although I certainly don't like the message, I like your post because I completely agree. In my industry (residential construction), an entire segment of the industry that provided graphic design services (very often not done in-house) has disappeared practically overnight. I, myself, with absolutely no skill or aptitude, can drop a black-line drawing into an AI tool and have it generate a rendering, or even 3D model simulation, that is extremely high quality. I can word a simple prompt that will generate it into a print-ready brochure. All of a sudden, our company is saving over 100K/year in contract services, but wait...that was somebody's livelihood.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Although I certainly don't like the message, I like your post because I completely agree. In my industry (residential construction), an entire segment of the industry that provided graphic design services (very often not done in-house) has disappeared practically overnight. I, myself, with absolutely no skill or aptitude, can drop a black-line drawing into an AI tool and have it generate a rendering, or even 3D model simulation, that is extremely high quality. I can word a simple prompt that will generate it into a print-ready brochure. All of a sudden, our company is saving over 100K/year in contract services, but wait...that was somebody's livelihood.

EXACTLY THIS ^^^^

This is what I'm talking about. In your case, the main skill set of your company was the practical side, residential construction. Your company has the assets, skills and knowledge to physically build a house. But in order to get to the building stage, you needed to outsource all the other aspects needed, such as creating the plans, models and brochures. So you contracted the work to a specialist company, as you didn't have those skills in house. But now with AI, you have the ability to replicate those specialist skills without hiring or training or outsourcing. Your company is now saving 100K/year which can either be re invested or given out as dividends to shareholders, making the company more profitable and increasing the wealth of the shareholders.

Meanwhile, the graphic design company who has lost your contact and suddenly sees a loss of 100K/year revenue, goes into administration, as loosing their main contract means their business is not viable any more.

Then the ripples out. Its not just the graphic design artists who are now unemployed. With the closure of the graphic design company, all the revenue that they were generating for others is now gone. The graphic design company might have had a cleaner to clean their office, they are now out of a job.

That cleaner might have used the money from cleaning the office to buy school supplies for their child.

So the education of child in the south of the town is now suffering, all because a large corporation in the north of the town is now using AI in house.

I know this is very hypothetical and extreme, but it just shows how the ripples out from adopting AI can affect and most likely are affecting the wider population.

 

[sam_gordon]

EXACTLY THIS ^^^^

This is what I'm talking about. In your case, the main skill set of your company was the practical side, residential construction. Your company has the assets, skills and knowledge to physically build a house. But in order to get to the building stage, you needed to outsource all the other aspects needed, such as creating the plans, models and brochures. So you contracted the work to a specialist company, as you didn't have those skills in house. But now with AI, you have the ability to replicate those specialist skills without hiring or training or outsourcing. Your company is now saving 100K/year which can either be re invested or given out as dividends to shareholders, making the company more profitable and increasing the wealth of the shareholders.

Meanwhile, the graphic design company who has lost your contact and suddenly sees a loss of 100K/year revenue, goes into administration, as loosing their main contract means their business is not viable any more.

Then the ripples out. Its not just the graphic design artists who are now unemployed. With the closure of the graphic design company, all the revenue that they were generating for others is now gone. The graphic design company might have had a cleaner to clean their office, they are now out of a job.

That cleaner might have used the money from cleaning the office to buy school supplies for their child.

So the education of child in the south of the town is now suffering, all because a large corporation in the north of the town is now using AI in house.

I know this is very hypothetical and extreme, but it just shows how the ripples out from adopting AI can affect and most likely are affecting the wider population.

While I appreciate your viewpoint, how is it any different than when the computer was introduced into the working world? Same with automation?

Both of those allowed businesses to do the same work, if not more, with less people.

I used to be a department head at my former company, supervising around 25 people. Automation came in and the number was cut to 11. Three months after that, and I was let go (everyone put under another department head).

 

[focusondisney]

While I appreciate your viewpoint, how is it any different than when the computer was introduced into the working world? Same with automation?

Both of those allowed businesses to do the same work, if not more, with less people.

I used to be a department head at my former company, supervising around 25 people. Automation came in and the number was cut to 11. Three months after that, and I was let go (everyone put under another department head).

Exactly. This has been happening in the manufacturing industry for decades. Automation decreased the number of workers required on assembly lines. The remaining workers need more education & skills to run the more complicated machinery. Every one of those lost jobs was also someone’s livelihood & the way they supported their families. AI will effect white collar workers the same way automation effected blue collar workers.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I definitely have a fear of AI.

However, I do not think I could do my own job without it. I work in lending. I didn't even understand that until one of the older generation people (who had been there 20+ years) explained how things USED TO WORK. I guess it exposes me that I REALLY have no idea what I am doing. In reality I am just an information taker and enter the information I receive... then AI tells me what to do next. AI takes all that information I enter, does its magic (that I do not understand). It takes all the stuff about the person's information, it figures all the risk factors and makes a decision based on all the factors such as credit score, length of employment, monthly expenses, residence and all that. It will tell me if it is approved, declined, or in some cases something I would have to send to a human underwriter to make a decision. It makes me feel like I am kinda dumb

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I definitely have a fear of AI.

However, I do not think I could do my own job without it. I work in lending. I didn't even understand that until one of the older generation people (who had been there 20+ years) explained how things USED TO WORK. I guess it exposes me that I REALLY have no idea what I am doing. In reality I am just an information taker and enter the information I receive... then AI tells me what to do next. AI takes all that information I enter, does its magic (that I do not understand). It takes all the stuff about the person's information, it figures all the risk factors and makes a decision based on all the factors such as credit score, length of employment, monthly expenses, residence and all that. It will tell me if it is approved, declined, or in some cases something I would have to send to a human underwriter to make a decision. It makes me feel like I am kinda dumb

This is another part of the problem. The academic theory , the knowledge and skill, the experience built over years of doing the why behind the action is gone. You have no idea why a decision is made, so therefore you have no real idea if what the AI says is actually correct. Theres no oversight, no checks and balances, just the AI answer which is now taken on face value.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I kinda wondered, WOW why is this stuff so easy? All I have to do is basically data entry. Then one of the "old school" people explained how things used to be. Now I feel like a trained chimpanzee could do my job.

 

[Miffy]

This is another part of the problem. The academic theory , the knowledge and skill, the experience built over years of doing the why behind the action is gone. You have no idea why a decision is made, so therefore you have no real idea if what the AI says is actually correct. Theres no oversight, no checks and balances, just the AI answer which is now taken on face value.

And all this from AI, which cannot even show the correct hours a store is open.

Something I've given some thought to, since my livelihood is probably in danger of being taken over by AI, is that even though AI--at this point at least--could not do the work half as well as I can, standards will just be lowered and practically no one will care.

 

[Christine]

I definitely have a fear of AI.

However, I do not think I could do my own job without it. I work in lending. I didn't even understand that until one of the older generation people (who had been there 20+ years) explained how things USED TO WORK. I guess it exposes me that I REALLY have no idea what I am doing. In reality I am just an information taker and enter the information I receive... then AI tells me what to do next. AI takes all that information I enter, does its magic (that I do not understand). It takes all the stuff about the person's information, it figures all the risk factors and makes a decision based on all the factors such as credit score, length of employment, monthly expenses, residence and all that. It will tell me if it is approved, declined, or in some cases something I would have to send to a human underwriter to make a decision. It makes me feel like I am kinda dumb

Right...so good for you that the older generation people who know how it all actually works are still around, and are probably the ones who helped program the AI--but what happens when they are gone? That's my concern overall.

 

[Christine]

I kinda wondered, WOW why is this stuff so easy? All I have to do is basically data entry. Then one of the "old school" people explained how things used to be. Now I feel like a trained chimpanzee could do my job.

That's the point. They'll eventually just hire button pushers to do the job where they used to have to pay someone for the analytical thinking.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

That's the point. They'll eventually just hire button pushers to do the job where they used to have to pay someone for the analytical thinking.

I have no idea, that is what scares me. I was going along thinking I was really good at what I do, then boom.... somebody made me realize I was not doing the thinking here. Of course as a human, I have to finesse and charm the customer, but AI does the actual decision making.

 

[sam_gordon]

That's the point. They'll eventually just hire button pushers to do the job where they used to have to pay someone for the analytical thinking.

This again I dont think is really anything new. All of the loans we have taken out in the last 30+ years, we've NEVER talked to the person (or people)who actually made the decision.

It was always "button pushers" who took our info, sent it up the chain, and the loan would be approved (or not).

And, for anyone, if you could snap your fingers and decide how to regulate (eliminate?) AI, how would you do so?

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

And all this from AI, which cannot even show the correct hours a store is open.

Something I've given some thought to, since my livelihood is probably in danger of being taken over by AI, is that even though AI--at this point at least--could not do the work half as well as I can, standards will just be lowered and practically no one will care.

Im already seeing this in my industry. Things being put through AI, that look ok to a lay person, the person who used the AI but to someone who has the actual skill and knowledge and can do it manually, the AI result is far lower standard and there are errors. Im hearing all the time, "just put it through AI, it will be fine, it doesn't matter"