The rapid rise of AI could create a “permanent underclass” of workers, warns OpenAI employee Leopold Aschenbrenner. He believes AI may surpass human capabilities by 2027 – and could even replace its own developers. While anxiety grows among creatives and professionals, some argue that even the tech elite might not be safe from replacement.
Automation has wiped out jobs before – but union action, like in Japan’s auto industry or among Australian nurses, has helped protect workers and secure retraining. The real opportunity now lies in organized resistance and strong ethical regulation.