NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has taken a contradictory stance against the growing warning that AI could leave millions of people jobless. While Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates warned the masses that artificial intelligence could eventually cause massive unemployment, Jensen Huang, on the other hand, said that the technology will also create a huge number of new jobs. Huang said on Fox Business, ‘Don’t forget the chip plants that are being created, packaging, computer plants, and all of the AI factories being created, hundreds of thousands of jobs are being created as we speak.’
Huang believes that the AI boom will not remove jobs. Instead, he expects the nature of work to change, while demand grows for workers required to build the infrastructure powering the technology. In the interaction, the NVIDIA CEO accepted that some jobs will disappear as AI becomes more capable. However, he also said that history shows that major technological advances also create new types of work. He said, ‘Everybody’s job changes. Some jobs will be eliminated. Many new jobs will be created. If you go back and look at history and technology, revolutionary technology comes along, incredible advances come along.’
Jensen Huang’s comments came right after Bill Gates warned that the impact of AI on employment could be much larger than many people are expecting. It is safe to say that Huang is carrying an optimistic approach towards the future of work. Apart from that, he also believes traditional white-collar jobs will continue to exist, while the growing AI infra industry could bring major opportunities in skilled trades.
Jensen Huang has said it multiple times that electricians, carpenters, plumbers, and other skilled workers are some of the people who could benefit from the AI boom. Huang also said, ‘Having a large population of skilled labor and people who build things, that make things with their hands, is tremendous for the United States.’
