Remote work, not AI, is driving unemployment rise among young white-collar workers, studies suggest
By
Courtenay Brown
Toasted just enough. A reliable bake, gently seasoned.
Summary
Two new research papers suggest that remote work, not AI, is the primary driver behind rising unemployment among young white-collar workers (college graduates under 29). Unemployment in this demographic has risen from 3.1% pre-pandemic to 3.7% since. While AI-related job impacts are a concern, the pandemic-era shift to remote work appears to be the more immediate culprit affecting young workers' career prospects.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledEconomists are looking for clues that AI is eliminating jobs for young workers. Two new papers suggest a different culprit: remote work.
Young workers' white-collar job woes might stem from the massive, pandemic-era shift in how Americans work.
Any AI-related impacts are landing on top of that headwind. The consequences could reverberate for years to come.
Remote work has allowed many workers more flexibility over where they live and work.
Unemployment among college graduates under 29 has risen from 3.1% before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7% since
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