Artificial intelligence could eliminate up to half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within the next five years, according to tech entrepreneur Matt Shumer, who says the shift is unfolding faster than most people realise.
Shumer, founder and CEO of AI firm OthersideAI (HyperWrite), made the remarks in a widely shared essay titled Something Big Is Happening. In it, he compared the current AI moment to early 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted economies and daily life across the world.
"I think we're in the 'this seems overblown' phase of something much, much bigger than Covid," he wrote.
Describing changes within his own company, Shumer said AI systems are now capable of performing complex technical tasks that previously required human teams. "I describe what I want built, in plain English, and it just appears," he said, adding that tools can now independently write, edit and debug code.He added that tasks which once required hours of back-and-forth editing are now completed independently by AI systems.
He cited warnings from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who has publicly predicted that AI could eliminate "50% of entry-level white-collar jobs within one to five years". Shumer argued that many in the industry believe even that estimate may be conservative. He argued that rapid improvements in AI models, including systems that help refine their own outputs, are accelerating the timeline.
In his essay, Matt Shumer outlined what the rapid rise of AI means for people's jobs and set out practical steps professionals should take to adapt to the changing workplace.
What this means for your job
- Entry-level roles are likely to face the earliest disruption.
- Screen-based jobs involving repetitive or structured tasks are most exposed.
- Legal research, coding, financial analysis, writing and customer support are already being reshaped.
- AI systems can now complete multi-step tasks with minimal supervision.
- Companies may slow hiring for junior roles as automation expands.
What you should actually do
- Learn to use AI tools effectively rather than compete against them.
- Focus on skills that require judgement, strategic thinking and human interaction.
- Build expertise in prompting, reviewing and supervising AI outputs.
- Continue upgrading your technical and analytical abilities.
- Act early, professionals who adapt quickly may gain a competitive edge.
Shumer stressed that the shift is not a distant possibility but a present reality. "We're past the point where this is just an interesting conversation about the future," he wrote. "The future is already here."
(Matt Shumer is the co-founder and CEO of OthersideAI, building advanced AI tools, and previously founded Visos and FURI, startups in VR and sporting goods industries.)
