AI Could Turn Job Market into a 'Mad Max' Wasteland, Warns Top Economist

MIT economist David Autor cautions that AI might not eliminate jobs outright—but it could devalue the skills workers rely on, transforming the labor landscape into something akin to a “Mad Max” scenario. In a recent "Possible" podcast interview with Business Insider, Autor noted that rapid automation could flood the market with "highly abundant" skills, reducing wages and pushing many into lower-paid roles with minimal advancement opportunities.

He emphasizes that it's not just about jobs disappearing—it’s about the quality of work deteriorating. While some industries may remain resilient, many traditional roles could be downgraded as AI handles the valuable tasks . Autor urges policymakers and leaders to proactively reshape AI design and deployment to preserve human expertise and prevent growing inequality .

Source - TheTimesOfIndia