Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon has pushed back against warnings that artificial intelligence will cause mass unemployment, insisting that the U.S. workforce is capable of adapting to rapid advances in technology. His comments were published in a guest essay published in The New York Times on May 22, 2026.
In his essay, Solomon acknowledged that disruption is coming. A Goldman Sachs study estimates that approximately a quarter of today’s work hours could be automated by AI within the next 10 years. White-collar professions such as accounting, banking and law are likely to see many of their daily tasks taken over by machines, he writes. The impact on specific blue-collar roles is difficult to predict, he added.
Still, Solomon listed three reasons to believe the economy will remain resilient. He argued that AI will free up workers to focus on more complex responsibilities, raise standards rather than eliminate existing professions, and create new roles for those who manage and oversee AI systems within companies. He acknowledged that if job destruction does occur on an unprecedented scale, a coordinated public-private response will be needed to support displaced workers and facilities.
Solomon also cited economist John Maynard Keynes. Keynes famously predicted in 1930 that by the end of the century people would only be working 15 hours a week. Although that vision never materialized, Solomon suggested it was a useful reminder that dire predictions about technology and employment often overlook the potential to boost productivity and economic growth.
The essay is consistent with internal Goldman Sachs analysis that distinguishes between jobs that are at high risk of being completely replaced, such as telephone operators, insurance claims clerks and bill collectors, and jobs that are more likely to be replaced, such as education administrators, doctors, surgeons, construction managers and chief executive officers, according to a Forbes report on the matter. Separately, McKinsey reported in a 2025 study that 51% of organizations said generative AI is reducing the need for entry-level hires.
