“AI Will Create Jobs?” A Former Google Executive Calls That “100% Crap”
Written by Marina Linde de Jager – Legal Advisor & AI Ethics Specialist at AI for Change Foundation
Introduction
On August 5, 2025, former Google X executive Mo Gawdat caused a stir by declaring on The Diary of a CEO podcast that the commonly held idea, that AI will create new jobs, is “100 percent crap”. He warned that even CEOs are at risk of displacement as AI advances. Gawdat, who spent over three decades in the tech industry, shared an eye-opening example: an app he helped build with just two software engineers would previously have required 350 human developers. His point: AI dramatically reduces labour demands, cutting into both white- and blue-collar roles alike.
Contrasting Views: Is Job-Generating AI Just a Hype?
Gawdat’s stark prediction stands in contrast to a broader and often more optimistic discourse:
• Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has acknowledged that while AI will eliminate some roles, it is simultaneously creating new positions, especially in areas like robotics and machine-learning, and boosting productivity by handling routine tasks.
• According to AP News, despite tech layoffs being partially justified by AI adoption, actual job postings have fallen due to broader economic forces. Nonetheless, demand remains strong for roles such as machine learning engineers, even if entry-level jobs (e.g. HR, admin, marketing) are shrinking.
• Ford CEO Jim Farley warned that up to half of all white-collar workers could be disrupted by AI, urging proactive planning and policy support for those impacted.
Broader Societal Context and Economic Dynamics
• A UNCTAD report estimated that AI may affect approximately 40% of global jobs, potentially exacerbating inequality unless proper investments are made in training and inclusive governance frameworks.
• Yet others caution that AI’s transformative potential is not immediate. A Guardian report noted that many business leaders who pre-emptively laid off staff expecting AI to fill the gap now regret it, as AI systems still lack dependability, accuracy, and cost-efficiency in many real-world scenarios.
• Meanwhile, blue-collar sectors remain relatively resilient. Trades like plumbing, electrical work, building trades, and HVAC are largely unaffected, and demand for technical labour to build AI infrastructure is growing, in the U.S., a shortage of approx. 450,000 factory workers has been reported.
What Mo Gawdat’s Thesis Means for AI for Change Foundation
A Wake-Up Call, not a Quilted Blanket
Gawdat’s uncompromising view serves as a strong caution: assuming new employment will just appear may be misguided. Automation can reduce demand even for highly skilled human labour.
Balanced Perspective: It Depends on Strategy
While Gawdat sees disruption, others, including leaders at Amazon and Ford, emphasise AI’s potential to evolve roles, not merely remove them. Still, this shift often favors specialised tech talent, not generalised labour.
AI for Change’s Role: Advocacy for Inclusive Transition
The Foundation can play a critical part by:
• Supporting reskilling programs, tailored not just for new tech roles but also to elevate displaced workers.
• Advocating for policies like retraining funds, universal basic income, or social safety nets to buffer shocks.
• Promoting human-AI collaboration, equipping people to work alongside AI rather than be displaced by it.
Conclusion
The assertion that “AI will create new jobs” is highly contested. Mo Gawdat’s viewpoint reminds us that automation can sharply reduce labour required, even for tasks previously managed by large human teams. Yet the counter-argument, that AI could drive new opportunities remains plausible in specialised sectors.
For the AI for Change Foundation, the way forward is clear: empower workers, influence policy, and ensure that the benefits of AI are distributed broadly, not concentrated among the few.
References
CNBC. (2025, August 5). Ex-Google exec: The idea that AI will create new jobs is 100 percent crap. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/05/ex-google-exec-the-idea-that-ai-will-create-new-jobs-is-100percent-crap.html
Fortune. (2025, July 1). Amazon CEO Andy Jassy: AI will mean fewer jobs and we already cut 27,000 people from Amazon’s workforce. Fortune. Retrieved from
https://fortune.com/2025/07/01/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-ai-fewer-jobs/
Chapman, M. (2025, June 18). Amazon CEO Jassy says AI will reduce its corporate workforce in the next few years. Associated Press. Retrieved from
https://apnews.com/article/amazon-jassy-ai-alexa-workforce-7eea6387e97b84f1f239af2538de5ee9
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2025, April 7). AI’s $4.8 trillion future: UN Trade and Development alerts on divides, urges action (Technology and Innovation Report 2025). United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Retrieved from