A new report from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s minority staff paints a troubling picture of how artificial intelligence and automation could reshape the American workforce over the next decade.
Corporations Are Rushing Toward “Artificial Labor”
According to the report, nearly 100 million U.S. jobs could be replaced by AI and automation within 10 years. Occupations most at risk include fast food workers, 89% of whom could be replaced; customer service reps, 83%; office clerks, cashiers, truck drivers, and even white-collar workers like accountants, 64%, and software developers, 54%.
“We may be building new factories and warehouses in America, but they will be staffed by robots, not workers,” Sanders warned in a recent post on X.
Don’t Miss:
The report claims companies are pouring billions into replacing human labor with what it calls “artificial labor,” combining AI and robotics to do the jobs of people at all skill levels. Major corporations like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Walmart (NYSE:WMT), JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) have already laid off thousands while investing heavily in AI technologies. Many are openly saying AI will allow them to shrink their workforce.
“As a result of AI and robotics, there will be massive blue-collar and white-collar job losses,” Sanders wrote on X. “The technology revolution must benefit ordinary Americans, not just a handful of billionaires.”
Sanders also raised concerns about the environmental cost of AI. He pointed to the enormous energy demands of data centers and their strain on water and power resources.
Trending: Have $100k+ to invest? Charlie Munger says that’s the toughest milestone — don’t stall now. Get matched with a fiduciary advisor and keep building
Billionaires Stand To Profit While Workers Are Left Behind
Since 1973, productivity in the U.S. has soared 150%, and corporate profits have jumped 370%. But during that same time, real wages for the average worker have declined. The richest 1% now own more wealth than the bottom 93% of Americans combined, the report says.
The report singles out billionaires like Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, Meta (NASDAQ:META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) Executive Chair Larry Ellison, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, saying their investments in AI are not about improving lives but about boosting their own fortunes.
The richest people in the world are investing in AI to “create unbelievable fortunes for themselves and make themselves even more powerful than they already are,” Sanders posted on X.
See Also: Backed by $300M+ in Assets and Microsoft’s Climate Fund, Farmland LP Opens Vital Farmland III to Accredited Investors
Proposals To Protect Workers
The Senate report outlines several proposals to ensure working people aren’t left behind. These include implementing a 32-hour workweek without a reduction in pay, requiring corporations to grant 20 percent ownership to workers, ensuring worker representation on corporate boards, enacting a “robot tax” to support those displaced by automation, and strengthening unions through the passage of pro-labor legislation.
“We must ensure workers benefit from AI and automation, not just billionaires,” the report recommends.
Read Next: Are you rich? Here’s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.
Image: Shutterstock
Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge’s one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today’s competitive market.
Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga?
This article AI Could Wipe Out 100 Million Jobs In The Next 10 Years, Senate Report Warns —’We Must Ensure Workers Benefit From AI, Not Just Billionaires’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
