The AI Job Apocalypse is Here (and it's not what you think)
Duolingo's recent layoffs, framed as an "AI-first" strategy, expose a hidden truth: AI-driven job displacement is already widespread. Hundreds of writers and translators have been replaced by AI, a trend echoed across creative industries, journalism, and even government. This isn't a robot uprising, but a calculated move by corporations using AI to cut costs and consolidate power. The resulting job crisis is particularly acute for recent college graduates, with unemployment rates reaching historic highs. While the full economic impact remains unclear, the crisis reveals a deeper issue: the erosion of valuable jobs and the potential for AI to exacerbate existing inequalities. We're facing a critical juncture, needing to define what kind of work we value and how to protect it before the AI-driven job apocalypse consumes us.