A. I. is poised to worsen America's wealth gap, according to a New York Times essay. Economist Gabriel Zucman argues the technology will automate middle-income jobs while enriching a tiny elite. 19 households added $1.8 trillion to their wealth over two years, a sum exceeding Australia's economy.

This concentration of capital, combined with OpenAI and Anthropic's massive private funding inaccessible to most, threatens to hollow out the middle class. IBM executives predict 30% of back-office roles could vanish within five years, while a Stanford study noted a 13% employment drop in A. I.-exposed sectors like customer service since 2022. The result: fewer workers bargaining power, falling wages, and a shrinking tax base crippling government response. AI's investment boom primarily benefits wealthy investors, not workers, accelerating inequality at both ends.