AI and job creation: what history tells us. A new MIT study examining postwar U.S. employment reveals that new technology-enabled jobs have historically benefited college graduates under 30 most significantly. The research, led by labor economist David Autor, shows these opportunities concentrate in urban areas among younger, educated workers. Critically, the study finds that innovation-driven job creation correlates strongly with large-scale investments. Government-backed expansion during the 1940s generated substantial new work and specialized expertise. As artificial intelligence reshapes the labor market, this historical pattern raises important questions about whether AI will follow the same trajectory, potentially widening opportunity gaps for older workers and those without advanced degrees.
