Artificial intelligence is creating a desperate base of workers who no longer have access to full-time employment [1].
This shift suggests a fundamental destabilization of the professional labor market. As AI automates tasks previously handled by salaried employees, the transition from stable careers to precarious labor could erode middle-class economic security.
Karen Hao, an author and journalist, said that AI-driven changes are displacing workers from well-compensated positions [1]. According to Hao, these individuals are moving into piecemeal gig work in "horrific condition" [1].
This trend indicates that the efficiency gains of AI are not being shared equally across the workforce. Instead of augmenting human labor, the technology is being used to replace full-time roles with fragmented tasks that lack benefits, or job security [1].
"Artificial intelligence is creating a ‘desperate base of workers who then have no full‑time employment’," Hao said [1].
The move toward a gig-based economy for professional roles creates a cycle of instability. Workers who once held secure positions now face a volatile market where income is unpredictable and protections are minimal [1].
"They are going from ‘well‑compensated positions to piecemeal gig work’ in ‘horrific condition’," Hao said [1].
“"Artificial intelligence is creating a ‘desperate base of workers who then have no full‑time employment’"”
The transition of high-skill roles into gig work suggests that AI is not merely automating routine tasks but is restructuring the nature of employment. This creates a 'precariat' class of professional workers who possess high skills but lack the institutional support and financial stability of traditional employment, potentially leading to broader economic volatility.
