Overview
- Karsten Wildberger says the era of industry as a job engine is ending and urges employers, unions and civil society to work together to redesign the labor market.
- He argues AI cannot be halted, stresses that displaced workers need meaningful roles, and notes that new types of jobs will also emerge.
- Wildberger links the response to Germany applying AI at the leading edge to spur outsized growth and generate the higher tax receipts needed to rebuild employment systems.
- Economists and industry leaders contend that hands-on trades are comparatively resilient and increasingly attractive, with craft apprenticeships in Germany rising since 2023.
- Analyses and corporate forecasts point to surging labor demand from AI infrastructure, with large data centers requiring up to 1,500 workers to build and dozens to operate.