Workers across America are facing growing concerns about artificial intelligence taking over their jobs, according to several reports released this week.

Job losses and rising unemployment are becoming more common as AI technology gets better. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in August, and government experts think it will keep going up to 4.5% this year. Companies created only 85,000 new jobs each month in 2025 so far, which is much less than the 168,000 new jobs created each month last year.

Workers are scared about their futures. A new study found that 89% of American workers worry about how AI will hurt their job security. Even more concerning, 43% of workers say they know someone who already lost their job because a company started using AI instead of human workers. This fear is real and growing as more businesses bring AI tools into their workplaces.

One of the most shocking predictions came from Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, who teaches computer science and studies AI safety. He believes that 99% of all jobs will disappear in the next five years because AI and robots will be able to do almost everything humans can do. Unlike past times when technology changed jobs, Dr. Yampolskiy says there won't be new types of work for people to learn. He thinks humans will have 60 to 80 hours of free time each week because they won't need to work at all.

Companies are forcing workers to use AI whether they want to or not. A survey of business leaders found that 77% of employers require or strongly encourage all their workers to use AI tools. Some companies are even firing employees who refuse to learn how to use these new technologies. Business leaders say they want AI because it makes workers more productive, costs less money, and might let them hire fewer people.

Workers fight back against AI for several reasons. The biggest fear is being replaced by machines (52% of workers), followed by not trusting AI to do things correctly (52%), and feeling uncomfortable about learning new technology (49%). Older workers, especially Baby Boomers and Generation X, are most likely to resist using AI tools at work.

To help workers deal with these big changes, researchers at Notre Dame University published a new report with ideas for protecting employees. The report says the government should collect better information about how AI affects jobs, so leaders can make smarter decisions. It also suggests modernizing schools to teach AI skills to kids and helping workers learn new skills throughout their lives.

The education system needs to change to prepare people for an AI world. The Notre Dame report recommends teaching AI literacy in schools from kindergarten through college. Students should also learn skills that work well with AI, like critical thinking, creativity, and social skills that computers can't easily copy.

Safety nets for displaced workers are also important. The report suggests programs that automatically help workers when the job market gets bad, like unemployment insurance, wage insurance, and job training programs. Some tech leaders, like Elon Musk, think society will need "universal high income" programs where everyone gets money to live even if they don't have traditional jobs.

Current research shows that 42% of jobs in America could be affected by AI automation. However, jobs that involve manual labor or personal services are less likely to be replaced. The highest-paying jobs with business executives and medical specialists are also safer from AI replacement. Jobs in the middle, like programmers and engineers, face the biggest risk of being automated.

Early signs suggest AI is already changing the job market. Employment has dropped in jobs that can be completely done by AI, and job growth has slowed in positions where AI can do most of the work. While these changes are happening gradually, the trend shows that AI's impact on workers is real and happening now, not just in the future.