Noah Smith examines a shift in how AI industry leaders talk about the technology’s impact on jobs, with figures like Sam Altman now emphasizing that AI will create jobs rather than eliminate them. The essay argues this marks a departure from earlier warnings about technological unemployment and appears to be a response to growing public skepticism toward AI. Industry figures are increasingly leaning on arguments about task creation, induced demand, and future ‘human touch’ services to counter concerns about job displacement and potential industry nationalization.
