This One Is Virtual, Not Physical.
Historically, the word “diaspora” has been used in the context of the movement, migration, or scattering of people based on race, ethnicity, and religion. For whatever reason, people that had been geographically displaced. Regardless of the reason, the movement of people has not been pleasant nor without casualties, and these historical displacements have been mostly permanent. The displaced could not and did not return home.
I see a new type of diaspora in progress. It is the displacement of humans in a variety of work roles by AI (artificial intelligence). The crucial question is whether this displacement will accelerate and be permanent or be offset and neutralized by new employment opportunities created by AI.
What makes this new diaspora unique is the displacement of people is not physical (place to place geographically) but is virtual. The people stay in the places they are geographically (while some do relocate for a new job opportunity). They are just displaced from the work process functions they had by new AI applications.
A deep dive into labor statistics and reviews of the impact, to date, of this displacement reveal the displacement has been offset by the creation of new classes of jobs, with a narrow gap between the percentage of jobs that are displaced with the percentage of newly created opportunities.
The consensus among observers of this displacement, including the World Economic Forum, is the most negative impact of AI on job displacement has already happened.
Through 2025, approximately 55,000 jobs were linked to AI-related cuts, with more than 75% of those occurring after 2023.
However, while AI is replacing roles, it is also creating new ones; 2024 saw roughly 119,900 new AI-related roles added, exceeding reported AI-driven losses.
50–55% of jobs in the US are expected to be reshaped by AI in the next two to three years. That is a significant number affecting an equally significant number of people.
It is estimated by 2030, 92 million jobs could be replaced globally due to AI, but studies suggest this will be balanced by the creation of up to 170 million new roles.
Where has the greatest impact on jobs been or expected to be? AI adoption has been the highest in data-rich sectors, sometimes reaching 60–70%, leading to faster “creative destruction” of jobs in those fields.
- Administrative/Clerical: High risk, with 7.5 million roles potentially disappearing by 2027.
- Customer Service: Up to 80% of roles could be automated.
- Manufacturing: 1.7 million jobs have been lost to automation since 2000.
- Finance & Technology: Significant cuts to entry-level and back-office roles, with Wall Street banks planning to remove ~200,000 jobs over 3-5 years.
Boston Consulting published a very thorough analysis of the situation and the future of work, making the argument that AI will reshape the nature of work, and the requirements for humans to qualify for these new positions.
Just as the second Industrial Revolution transformed the economies of the key countries of the world from an agrarian to industrial basis, with the corresponding massive change in job requirements, the changes to the future of work based on the increasing adoption of AI will be equally massive. While some people will become permanent victims of this displacement, most will undergo the training needed to remain employed. The most significant need will be for high school and college graduates entering the workforce this year and in years to come.
My next article will examine the current state of educational preparation of high school and college grads for entry into an AI-infused future of work.
Jobs will change and new ones created. Here’s an example: Robot Wrangler.
About the Author
Tim Lindner develops multimodal technology solutions (voice / augmented reality / RF scanning) that focus on meeting or exceeding logistics and supply chain customers’ productivity improvement objectives. He can be reached at linkedin.com/in/timlindner.
