Vanguard Economist Says AI Won't Wipe Out White-Collar Jobs, Citing 1980s ATM Shift
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Aug 6
Vanguard Economist Says AI Won't Wipe Out White-Collar Jobs, Citing 1980s ATM Shift
1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Aug 6
Summary
Adam Schickling said fears of an AI-driven white-collar job wipeout are overblown, arguing the technology is more likely to reshape office work than erase it.
The Vanguard economist compared AI with ATMs in the 1980s: banks automated routine tasks, cut costs and then expanded branches, creating demand for higher-value roles such as loan officers and risk specialists.
He said AI can eliminate narrow administrative tasks, but large-scale job losses usually require broader changes in workflows, business models and institutions rather than isolated automation alone.
The pushback comes as anxiety has risen among young professionals after warnings from Anthropic and DeepMind executives, with debate spreading over whether professional degrees still offer a safe career path.
Schickling's view aligns with other economists, including Apollo's Torsten Sløk, who argue efficiency gains from new technology can ultimately generate new jobs, as mobile banking did in cybersecurity and payments.