Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is warning that fears about artificial intelligence taking over jobs are not only valid but already becoming a reality. In an interview with Axios, Amodei said AI could eliminate up to 50% of all entry-level white-collar jobs within the next five years. This wave of automation, he said, could push U.S. unemployment to between 10 per cent and 20 per cent.

Amodei believes most people still don’t grasp how rapidly AI is advancing and how disruptive it could be for the job market.

“Most of them are unaware that this is about to happen," Amodei said. “It sounds crazy, and people just don’t believe it."

While sounding the alarm, Amodei remains deeply involved in AI development. His company, Anthropic, recently launched Claude 4, a powerful new chatbot capable of performing a wide range of tasks at near-human levels. Amodei recognises the contradiction of building this technology while warning about its risks, but he insists that ignoring the dangers is far worse.

“You can’t just step in front of the train and stop it," he said. “The only move that’s going to work is steering the train… That can be done. That’s possible, but we have to do it now."

Amodei says there’s still time to mitigate the damage. That means increasing public awareness, helping workers learn how to use AI tools effectively, and most importantly, educating lawmakers so meaningful policies can be put in place before it’s too late.

He’s not the only one raising concerns. LinkedIn’s economic opportunity officer Aneesh Raman recently said AI is threatening the kind of entry-level jobs that have long been stepping stones for young professionals. Venture capitalist Kai-Fu Lee has also said predictions that AI will displace 50 per cent of jobs by 2027 are proving “uncannily accurate".

Already, some workers have experienced sudden layoffs as companies begin quietly adopting AI-driven tools. These real-world examples, Amodei warns, are only a preview of the mass disruption that could unfold if action isn’t taken soon.