The $100 trillion power shift

Fast Company

12-05-2025

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The world is at an inflection point unlike any before. AI isn't just a tool—it's a tidal wave, rewriting the rules of power, wealth, and survival.
The corporate dream is in flux. The systems we were taught to trust—college degrees, career ladders, the safe path to success—are morphing in real time. AI is detonating industries, stripping white collar jobs down to algorithms, while the value of human labor is being rewritten before our eyes. The workers we once ignored—the welders, the electricians, the builders—are skyrocketing in demand.
This is not a prediction. It's happening now.
The AI arms race: The new Manhattan Project
AI is both an unprecedented tool of creation and a force of destruction, reshaping economies, governments, and labor forces at breakneck speed. According to Peng Xiao, CEO of G42, 'AI is the defining technology of our era—an essential utility that will reshape economies and societies, much like electricity did in the past.'
AI is recalibrating industries at an unimaginable pace. Meanwhile, the jobs AI can't touch—construction workers, electricians, welders, mechanics—are becoming more valuable than ever.
The AI wrecking ball: Skip Wharton?
In 2019, an MBA from an elite school was the equivalent of winning the professional lottery. Today? AI-powered algorithms run finance, operations, and consulting—faster, cheaper, and without a 401(k).
Companies like OpenAI, DeepMind, and Anthropic have unleashed AI models that make traditional knowledge workers obsolete. Banks are automating the work of employees. At the Cisco AI Summit in Palo Alto this year, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon noted that AI could draft 95% of an S1 document for IPO filing.
A recent report states that 23% of 2024 Harvard Business School grads were still unemployed 3 months after graduation. Over 4 million members of Gen Z in the U.S. are currently not employed nor matriculated in school, joining the 'NEET' movement instead: not in education, employment, or training—and prioritizing self-actualized careers outside of traditional degrees.
Meanwhile, something unexpected is happening on the other side of the labor market…
The jobs AI can't kill (yet)
AI can't repair a busted water main, install solar panels, or build a skyscraper. Industry-defining laborers don't disappear—they evolve. In the 19th century, steam engine workers shaped economies. In the 20th century, oil refinery workers fueled the modern world. In the 21st century, AI maintenance workers, robotics technicians, and skilled tradespeople will be the ones keeping automation in check.
Skilled labor jobs—once dismissed as 'fallback careers'—are now in high demand. The average salary for an electrician in major U.S. cities now outpaces some college-degree salaries. An achievable salary for an elevator technician or power plant operator? Over $100,000. In an age where AI strips knowledge jobs down to data points, the ability to physically build and repair may become the new currency of success.
Geopolitics, immigration, and the 2025 labor crisis
There's another wrench in the system—immigration crackdowns and labor shortages. The U.S. has escalated mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. The fallout? Potentially, abandoned construction sites, rotting crops, and shuttered restaurants.
The solution? More automation. Chick-fil-A introduced lemon-squeezing robots, cutting 10,000 hours of labor. But here's the twist: Robots break down. Robots need maintenance. AI can't currently fix AI. The labor shortage is fueling demand for highly paid, hands-on workers who keep machines—and society—running.
AI: The new arms race
The world is racing to control AI, much like the atomic race of the last century. But this war isn't fought with bombs—it's fought with data, computing power, and intelligent automation.
Nations, tech giants, and corporate behemoths are pouring trillions into agentic AI—a new breed of AI that autonomously executes tasks. Yet even with AI agents taking over workflows, humans will still be essential. AI still needs oversight. AI still needs repair. AI still needs direction.
Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, says it best: 'No AI can replace 100% of a job, but many can replace 80% of what we do. We are literally at the beginning of a new Industrial Revolution.'
Social media and the collapse of the corporate dream
Some Gen Z and Millennials are rejecting corporate jobs. Social media has reshaped the perception of work. Why grind in a cubicle when you can make a living flipping houses on YouTube? Why get an MBA when you can have a lucrative career teaching people how to weld on TikTok? Why work a 9-to-5 when Kylie Jenner built a billion-dollar empire from Instagram?
At the same time, these generations are about to inherit an unprecedented $100 trillion from baby boomers—the wealthiest generation in history. But this isn't just a transfer of capital; it's a transfer of knowledge, control, and priorities.
The new elite aren't climbing the corporate ladder—they're building their own empires.
As MrBeast puts it: 'The creator economy is only going to get bigger.'
The new workforce hierarchy: Who wins and who loses?
AI isn't eliminating labor—it's creating a new elite class of skilled workers required to manage and maintain automation. While AI wipes out jobs, the long-term trajectory is clear:
New industries will emerge.
Humans will train AI-powered agents and tools.
AI maintenance, robotics, and automation oversight will become critical fields.
History proves that every disruptive technology creates new opportunities. Wages for some technical jobs are soaring past white collar salaries. The real winners of the AI revolution won't be consultants in boardrooms—they'll be the workers keeping the machines running.
Elon Musk once said: 'AI will make jobs kind of pointless.'