AI's Rise Threatens Jobs but Sparks New Worker Solidarity
Essential brief
As AI advances rapidly, fears of widespread job loss grow, yet experts see a chance for renewed worker power and solidarity across industries.
In 2026, the future of work is overshadowed by growing anxieties about artificial intelligence and its impact on employment. The early decade's labor movements, including quiet quitting, the Great Resignation, and union drives, have given way to concerns over affordability, geopolitical instability, and AI's looming presence in workplaces. Tech CEOs champion AI as a revolutionary force capable of replacing software engineers and even CEOs, but public sentiment remains skeptical. A 2025 Pew survey revealed that 64% of Americans believe AI will reduce jobs over the next 20 years, with only 17% expecting a positive impact.
Despite these fears, this period marks a pivotal moment where collective anxiety about AI is uniting workers across sectors. Lisa Kresge of the UC Berkeley Labor Center highlights that lower-wage workers fear being replaced or dehumanized by technology, while white-collar employees worry their roles may become more monitored or manual to resist AI takeover. Sarita Gupta from the Ford Foundation notes that shared experiences of surveillance and job insecurity are dissolving traditional class divisions, fostering broader working-class movements for dignity.
The COVID-19 pandemic previously exposed workplace vulnerabilities, leading to significant labor organizing and the Great Resignation, which shifted power dynamics toward workers seeking better conditions. Kresge sees AI as a new opportunity for labor to address longstanding economic inequalities and improve how productivity gains are shared.
However, union membership remains low, with only 9.9% of U.S. workers unionized in 2025, reflecting decades of weakened collective bargaining and stagnant wages despite rising productivity. The rise of AI has spotlighted these power imbalances, energizing public debate and worker activism.
Experts caution that AI's future impact is still uncertain and shaped by human choices. Kresge warns of tech leaders' efforts to mystify AI to disempower critics and maintain control. Gupta emphasizes that technology's direction depends on governance and design: it can either deepen worker exploitation or foster shared prosperity if developed with worker input.
As AI continues to evolve, the struggle over worker power and the future of labor remains open, offering both challenges and opportunities for a more equitable workplace.