LOUISVILLE, USA, Sept 7, 2025: Roman Yampolskiy, a computer science professor at the University of Louisville and a noted expert on AI safety, has issued a stark warning that artificial intelligence (AI) could eliminate up to 99 percent of jobs worldwide by 2030.
This alarming prediction comes at a time when companies globally are rapidly adopting AI technologies to reduce costs and increase profits, accelerating a fundamental shift in the labor market.
Professor Yampolskiy cautioned that even skilled professionals like coders and prompt engineers—currently in high demand—will not be immune to the sweeping wave of automation poised to disrupt virtually every sector.
“We are heading toward an unprecedented level of unemployment,” Yampolskiy told The Diary of a CEO podcast. “This is not a case of 10 percent unemployment, which is already alarming. We’re talking about 99 percent.”
He forecasted that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—machines with human-like cognitive abilities—could become widespread by 2027. Just three years after AGI’s emergence, he warned, the global labor market will face near-total collapse as AI tools and humanoid robots render human labor economically unviable.
“If a task an employee performs can be done through a $20 monthly subscription or even free AI models, what do you think will happen?” Yampolskiy asked. “Automation will first dominate computer-based tasks, followed by humanoid robots taking over physical labor, likely within five years.”
Yampolskiy emphasized that employment provides more than just income; it offers structure, social status, and community. As jobs disappear, societies must find innovative ways to uphold these essential pillars on a large scale.
“Most people remain unaware of this impending reality,” he added. “It sounds unbelievable to many, and they struggle to accept it.”
Supporting these concerns, Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer at Google X, has also warned that widespread unemployment could begin as early as 2027. He predicts AI will eliminate not only blue-collar jobs but also white-collar roles—including software developers, CEOs, and even content creators like podcasters. “No profession will be safe,” Gawdat said, underscoring the scale of disruption AI may unleash.