Silicon Valley’s elite believe that advanced A.I. will soon outpace human workers, sparking fears of a permanent underclass. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind now measure AI’s economic impact through benchmarks like GDPVal, showing an 80% win rate over human experts.

Investors have already reacted: after Block CEO Jack Dorsey cited AI coders as a reason for massive layoffs, the company’s stock jumped 25% in after‑hours trading. Executives rush to automate roles, reshaping hiring and compensation across the tech sector.

The shift threatens millions of white‑collar jobs. Engineers and founders report growing anxiety as AI tools replace investment banking, consulting, and even primary care. If markets continue to prioritize automation, the resulting wage stagnation could widen inequality and erode consumer demand.

Tech firms now face a dilemma: accelerate AI deployment to stay competitive or implement policies that protect displaced workers. The choice will define the next decade of economic power and social stability.