AI and the Future of Work

The job market can feel like a contradiction: the economy grows, unemployment does not look catastrophic, yet white-collar candidates can barely get a callback. We unpack that tension with two people who live in the data and the day-to-day reality of hiring: Michael Bernick, former director of California’s Employment Development Department, and Gad Levanon, chief economist at the Burning Glass Institute. Together, we dig into what’s really happening behind the headlines and why “layoffs” often miss the bigger story of weak hiring and unfilled backfills across professional services, finance, consulting, and tech.We also get specific about AI and work. Rather than treating artificial intelligence as a simple job-destroyer, we talk through where its impact is arriving first, why college grads may be feeling the squeeze, and why many blue-collar and skilled trade roles look more insulated in the near term. Then we pivot to the clearest engine of job growth: healthcare and social services. Demographics are destiny here, and we explore how aging, rising care needs, and AI-enabled operations could keep healthcare employment expanding for decades.From there, we zoom out to entrepreneurship and the modern startup economy. New business formation is strong, but many firms do not hire because of cost, compliance, and a growing preference for contractors and distributed teams. We look at why the Bay Area still dominates AI startups, how that ecosystem reshapes cities through spillover spending, and why housing costs and long commutes are becoming a workforce problem. We close with blunt, practical career advice for graduates: expect a tougher start, apply at higher volume, use networks, take the “get in” job when needed, and stay flexible on location.If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with someone job searching, and leave a review. What part of the job market feels most broken to you right now?Support Our WorkThe Center for Demographics and Policy focuses on research and analysis of global, national, and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results over time. It involves Chapman students in demographic research under the supervision of the Center’s senior staff.Students work with the Center’s director and engage in research that will serve them well as they look to develop their careers in business, the social sciences, and the arts. Students also have access to our advisory board, which includes distinguished Chapman faculty and major demographic scholars from across the country and the world.For additional information, please contact Mahnaz Asghari, Associate Director for the Center for Demographics and Policy, at (714) 744-7635 or [email protected] us on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-feudal-future-podcast/Tweet thoughts: @joelkotkin, @mtoplansky, #FeudalFuture #BeyondFeudalism #centerfordemographicspolicy #chapmanuniversityLearn more about Joel's book 'The Coming of Neo-Feudalism': https://amzn.to/3a1VV87Sign Up For News & Alerts: http://joelkotkin.com/#subscribeThis show is presented by the Chapman Center for Demographics and Policy, which focuses on research and analysis of global, national and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results ov...