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Fraser Institute Study: History Suggests AI Will Create Jobs, Not Destroy Them
Worried about artificial intelligence leading to mass unemployment? A recent study from the Fraser Institute suggests looking back at history might ease those fears. The Canadian think-tank argues that AI, much like transformative technologies before it (think printing press, steam engine, computers), will ultimately reshape the economy in positive ways, boosting living standards and likely leading to a net *increase* in jobs.
The study, authored by senior fellow Steven Globerman, pushes back against calls for strict AI regulation aimed at protecting workers. It highlights that the adoption of major “General Purpose Technologies” historically unfolds slowly, often over decades. This gradual pace gives businesses and workers crucial time to adapt to the changing landscape.
While AI will undoubtedly reduce demand for certain jobs and skills, the study emphasizes that it will simultaneously fuel the growth of new industries and roles directly linked to AI. These new opportunities will require different skills, complementing the technology rather than being replaced by it.
Globerman concludes that if past technological revolutions are any guide, the overall impact of AI should be an expansion of job opportunities and higher wages, despite the disruption to specific occupations.
Our Take
It’s always interesting to see the “AI will create jobs vs. AI will kill jobs” debate framed historically. The Fraser Institute makes a solid point – big tech shifts often *do* create new kinds of work eventually. It’s easy to focus on the jobs AI might replace, but harder to imagine the ones that don’t even exist yet.
Still, the transition period can be rough for people whose skills become less needed. Saying it’ll likely be okay “in the long run” doesn’t help someone facing displacement *now*. Balancing the potential long-term gains with the real short-term disruption is the tricky part regulators and society need to figure out.
This story was originally featured on Kingsville Times.