On a long drive through the Appalachian mountains, the author and his daughter had a sustained conversation about Artificial Intelligence. She reported that many of her high school peers are pessimistic about the technology because they fear it will eliminate the careers they were planning to pursue. That generational anxiety, the piece suggests, is set against broader concerns about a fragile future already strained by climate change and geopolitical instability.
Executives and founders have amplified those fears by predicting sweeping employment changes. The article cites statements and attitudes from leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon, Shopify, Ford and others who warn that Artificial Intelligence could eliminate large shares of white collar and entry level jobs. Indicators consistent with those claims are already visible, the article notes, including reduced hiring of new graduates in sectors such as technology and finance, though it acknowledges that Artificial Intelligence is not the only factor involved.
The piece also examines the environmental and resource consequences of large scale Artificial Intelligence deployment. Major data center buildouts are under way across the United States, and Meta and OpenAI have announced plans for facilities that would require about five gigawatts of power for computing. The article says utilities are likely to rely on natural gas for that load in some places, increasing carbon dioxide emissions, and that data centers demand vast amounts of water—contributing to shortages in some communities. It contrasts proponents’ claims that Artificial Intelligence can boost grid efficiency and energy innovation with present examples of higher emissions and rising electricity demand at some companies. The author concludes that society will not revert to a world without Artificial Intelligence but that other urgent problems require attention, and he notes the launch of new magazine columns on the technology, biotech and energy and climate beats.
