Anthropic CEO Warns: AI Could Eliminate Half of All Office Jobs Within Five Years
Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, one of the leading companies developing artificial intelligence, issued a dramatic warning about AI's impact on the labor market in an interview with Axios. In his statement on May 28, 2025, he said that artificial intelligence could eliminate up to 50% of all entry-level white-collar jobs within the next five years. These concerns come at the same time that Anthropic unveiled its latest AI models, Claude 4, Opus 4, and Sonnet 4, highlighting the rapid progress being made in artificial intelligence technology.
Creeping Unawareness
In his interview, Amodei emphasized that this transformation could lead to a dramatic rise in unemployment in the United States and subsequently in other countries, with the unemployment rate potentially reaching between 10 and 20 percent during this period. According to him, industries such as technology, finance, law, and consulting are particularly at risk, with entry-level positions being the most vulnerable, as AI systems can quickly match or exceed human performance in routine, knowledge-based tasks. Anthropic's CEO expressed concern that most workers are unaware of what is coming. "Most of them are unaware that this is about to happen. It sounds crazy, and people just don't believe it," Amodei said in the interview. At the same time, he warned that both AI companies and governments are not sufficiently transparent about the speed and scale of potential job losses. He expressed his belief that society is not prepared for the scale of this revolution and that honest conversations are urgently needed from both industry leaders and government officials.
According to Amodei, young, college-educated workers in their first jobs are particularly at risk, even before they have had a chance to build experience or seniority. These positions are often the first to be automated, as AI systems become capable of matching or surpassing human performance in routine, knowledge-based tasks. He specifically mentioned industries such as law, marketing, technology, and finance as facing the highest risk.
Restricting AI Development Is Not Possible
Despite these alarming warnings, Amodei is not opposed to the development of artificial intelligence. On the contrary, he emphasizes that slowing AI development in the United States through regulation would merely allow other countries, such as China, to take the lead, given the significant market demand for this technology. Instead, he believes there is still time to mitigate the potential negative consequences by raising public awareness, helping workers better understand how to use AI, supporting workers during the transition, implementing policy solutions, and educating members of Congress. In his statement, Amodei emphasized the moral responsibility AI companies have toward society. "We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming. I don't think this is on people's radar," he said in the Axios interview. This statement reflects a growing debate among technology leaders and policymakers about how to balance AI innovation with economic stability and workforce protection.
Further Options and Economic Consequences
Anthropic's CEO also proposed specific measures that could help mitigate the impact on workers. Among them, he mentioned the possibility of introducing a "token tax" on income generated by artificial intelligence, which would help support laid-off workers. He proposes this measure despite the fact that it would not be in his own economic interest, demonstrating his genuine concern about the societal impact of the technology his company is developing. According to Amodei, the U.S. government has remained largely silent on this issue, possibly because of concerns about causing panic among the public or losing ground to China in the artificial intelligence race. He considers this silence problematic because it prevents society from preparing for the coming changes. He believes immediate action is needed and that both governments and AI companies should be more transparent about the potential risks and the speed at which these changes are taking place.
The economic and political consequences of this development could be significant. Amodei's proposed "token tax" would redistribute some of the economic gains from AI to those harmed by automation, highlighting the need for new social safety nets as job displacement accelerates. This discussion about how society can and should respond to rapid technological change is becoming increasingly urgent as AI technologies improve and become more accessible. Overall, Amodei's warning represents a significant indication that within the next five years, AI could replace half of all entry-level white-collar jobs, potentially causing the unemployment rate in the United States to rise as high as 20 percent. He calls on both the technology industry and the government to confront these risks openly and prepare for the profound changes ahead. His candor about the potential negative impacts of the technology his own company is helping to develop reflects a growing awareness among AI leaders of their responsibility to society at large.
