Daron Acemoglu: AI could replace 5% of work next decade

Business Oct 09, 2026

Worried AI is about to wipe out tons of jobs?

Daron Acemoglu, an MIT economist, says the real number is much smaller than people think: he estimates AI could replace about 5% of the work currently done by humans over the next decade.

So, mass unemployment from AI isn't likely on the horizon.

Daron Acemoglu backs AI augmentation

Acemoglu actually supports using AI to help people do their jobs better, not replace them.

As he puts it, AI can expand workers' capabilities, create new tasks, and make human expertise more valuable.

Plus, a recent PwC study found that making AI work well usually means rethinking how teams operate and focusing on growth, not just cutting costs or automating repetitive stuff.