AI Technology Advancing Rapidly, Could Soon Replace More Jobs, Warns Anthropic CEO
By Samantha Delouya, CNN Business — September 17, 2025
Artificial intelligence technology is developing at a breakneck pace and is already beginning to replace jobs, according to Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, one of the world’s leading AI research labs. Speaking at Axios’ AI+ DC Summit on Wednesday, Amodei cautioned that the rapid evolution of AI could lead to mass unemployment within the next few years.
“This is already happening,” Amodei stated, emphasizing the swift advancements in AI capabilities that are reshaping labor markets. His remarks come amid emerging data showing signs of a weakening US labor market. Recent figures revealed the unemployment rate has climbed to a three-year high, while job creation has slowed more than anticipated. Although it remains unclear if AI is directly responsible for these trends, experts are closely monitoring the situation.
Despite some skepticism about current AI technology’s effectiveness — citing examples such as Apple’s decision not to deploy an AI-enhanced Siri assistant due to quality concerns, and reports linking AI chatbot use to mental health challenges — Amodei insists that the broader trajectory of AI development demands urgent attention.
This is not the first time Amodei has sounded a warning about AI’s potential to disrupt employment on a large scale. In May, he projected that AI tools like those being developed by Anthropic and other firms could eliminate up to half of all entry-level, white-collar jobs. He warned that the unemployment rate could surge to as high as 20% within the next one to five years if the technology’s adoption accelerates.
“When an exponential is moving very quickly, you can’t be sure. This could happen faster than I imagine, this could happen slower than I imagine, or something very different could happen,” Amodei said at the summit. “But I think it is likely enough to happen that we felt there was a need to warn the world about it.”
Amodei also called for government action to help workers adapt to the societal changes ushered in by AI. He suggested potential measures such as taxing the financial gains made by AI companies to fund support programs for displaced workers.
Some critics argue that Amodei’s repeated warnings serve to bolster his reputation as a responsible AI leader or to enhance his company’s visibility in a competitive market. However, he pushed back against such criticisms, urging the public and policymakers to take the transformative power of AI seriously.
“There’s a little disconnect here, where people will sometimes say, ‘Oh, you’re worried about what AI is going to do to jobs, but AI can’t do this, AI can’t do that,’” Amodei explained. “Well, we’re talking about today’s AI. The technology is moving quickly.”
As AI continues its rapid evolution, its impact on jobs, the economy, and society as a whole remains a topic of intense debate. Amodei’s stark warnings add to the growing discourse about how to manage the benefits and risks of this powerful technology.
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