Is Humanity Going To Be Deleted Soon?
We’ve spoken of the fact that in recent years, fertility rates have dropped below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman in many countries, signaling a future of shrinking populations. This decline is driven by factors such as urbanization, economic pressure, greater female education and employment, and shifting cultural values. While demographers have long warned of the challenges posed by aging populations and shrinking workforces, an unexpected development may change the conversation: the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.
As AI and automation evolve, machines are increasingly capable of performing both physical and cognitive tasks once reserved for humans. From manufacturing to customer service, and even creative work, AI is beginning to replace human labor at scale. This raises a provocative question: if machines can maintain and grow the economy, do we still need large populations?
In this context, the traditional link between population size and economic vitality may break. The urgency to maintain birth rates could diminish if machines fulfill societal needs more efficiently than humans. Rather than fearing population decline, we may need to redefine human value beyond economic productivity. The future may not be one of scarcity, but one where fewer people live differently—supported by technology, yet facing profound existential shifts.
The following article portends a scary future.
“Dario Amodei — CEO of Anthropic, one of the world's most powerful creators of artificial intelligence — has a blunt, scary warning for the U.S. government and all of us:
AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs — and spike unemployment to 10-20% in the next one to five years, Amodei told us in an interview from his San Francisco office.
Amodei said AI companies and government need to stop "sugar-coating" what's coming: the possible mass elimination of jobs across technology, finance, law, consulting and other white-collar professions, especially entry-level gigs.”