I'll probably lose my job to AI. Here's why that's OK | Megan J. McArdle
TED Talks Daily
2025/06/27
I'll probably lose my job to AI. Here's why that's OK | Megan J. McArdle
I'll probably lose my job to AI. Here's why that's OK | Megan J. McArdle

TED Talks Daily
2025/06/27
As artificial intelligence reshapes the workforce, one journalist confronts the uncomfortable reality of progress: innovation often comes at a human cost. Rather than resist it outright, she suggests we reconsider our response to disruption through the lens of history.
Megan J. McArdle examines the tension between technological advancement and job displacement, particularly in creative fields like writing. Drawing a parallel to the 19th-century Luddites, who destroyed machines in fear of losing their livelihoods, she acknowledges the real pain of economic upheaval but warns against halting progress. While AI threatens current jobs, history shows that resistance cannot stop innovation—and often misses the broader benefits that follow. The industrial revolution, once feared, brought unprecedented improvements in living standards and health. McArdle argues that rather than rejecting new technology, society should focus on supporting those affected while continuing to push forward. By embracing change responsibly, we honor the legacy of past innovators and ensure future generations inherit a world richer in opportunity and possibility.
03:25
03:25
We should bear the costs of progress as we are beneficiaries of past decisions for future growth.
06:42
06:42
The long-term benefits of technological progress are hard to grasp but transformative.