03-19-2026
Employer insight: NBC News reported that politicians are increasingly concerned about AI’s repercussions for white-collar workers. Traditionally, politicians have focused on how technological advancements have affected blue-collar workers, whose jobs have been diminished by trade deals and automation. But AI will significantly impact white-collar jobs, and some politicians are taking note. Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sens Josh Hawley and Bernie Sanders, and Gov. Gavin Newsom have publicly expressed their alarm and are trying to act. Many other congressional members and candidates are also trying to figure out how to respond to potential changes to white-collar employment. But will political action be too late?
Former Representative Brad Carson believes that “[w]hite collar displacement could move much faster and apply much more broadly than deindustrialization did.” He forecasts that political pressure will “build quickly.” Carson’s forecast dovetails with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s projection that AI could increase unemployment by 10% to 20% within the next five years, while “also eliminating half of all entry-level white-collar jobs.” Anthropic projects the jobs most vulnerable to AI displacement include computer programmers, customer service representatives, and financial and investment analysts.
November’s job numbers already show that 25% of unemployed workers had four-year degrees. Sen. Hawley spoke of the “startling high” unemployment for recent college graduates. Former Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo observed that “policymakers of both parties and AI executives just kind of throw up their hands” and seem to believe there is nothing they can do to help. Hawley wants to see more focus from Washington on this issue. He said, “[T]he importance of good-paying work cannot ever be lost or taken for granted.” AI policy must be centered on worker access to good-paying work to support their families. Hawley and Senator Mark Warner introduced legislation last fall to require companies to provide information to the Department of Labor on the number of jobs cut or created because of AI and how they are helping employees work with the new technology.