Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang is sounding the alarm on an impending AI-driven job crisis, warning that millions of white-collar workers could lose their jobs within 12 to 18 months. In a viral Instagram video with over 600,000 views, Yang argued that AI can now perform the work of highly skilled professionals in minutes, threatening roles across marketing, coding, design, law, accounting, and call centers.

Yang's dire predictions echo warnings from tech leaders like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Ford CEO Jim Farley, but he emphasizes the economic ripple effects will extend far beyond office workers. Local businesses—from dry cleaners to restaurants—will suffer as displaced workers cut spending, potentially triggering a surge in personal bankruptcies. The 51-year-old entrepreneur warns this disruption will create a winner-take-all economy where social mobility and middle-class stability are fundamentally broken.

Yang, who championed universal basic income during his 2020 presidential campaign, sees his earlier warnings validated as AI moves from research labs into mainstream business. His proposed $1,000 monthly UBI for Americans over 18 is gaining traction among tech leaders like Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who acknowledge that traditional economic safety nets may be inadequate for the coming disruption. The former candidate urges workers and students to reconsider expensive degrees that don't lead to concrete opportunities, emphasizing that soft skills like grit and communication may become more valuable than traditional academic achievement.