AI Impacts White-Collar Jobs, Widening Global Wealth Gap

By 2026, artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from a tech buzzword into a force reshaping the global economic order. However, a workplace transformation described by white-collar workers as 'indiscriminate murder' is quietly unfolding. The June cover story of 'Global Central' magazine, 'The AI White-Collar Survival War,' reveals the impact of the increasingly divided 'K-shaped economy' on workplaces and society through the observations of global reporters. In the U.S., tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft are restructuring their workforces, replacing administrative, legal, and programming tasks with AI agents. Dario Amodei, co-founder and CEO of Anthropic, warns that while AI achieves high GDP growth, it will be accompanied by mass unemployment and exacerbated social inequality. The future job market may polarize: on one side, elites mastering AI technology and capital, whose wealth grows exponentially; on the other, physical workers like chefs and nurses, who are relatively safe from technological threats. In Taiwan, thanks to its AI supply chain advantage, GDP per capita approached $40,000 in 2025. However, these gains are not shared by all; statistics show nearly 70% of employees earn below the average wage. Solving the 'perceived poverty' of service and traditional industry workers is a top priority. South Korea has proposed 'universal entrepreneurship' as a solution, encouraging youth to use AI tools for startups while building a social safety net. Education experts urge society to shift from 'knowledge accumulation' to cultivating talent capable of collaborating with AI and possessing critical analysis skills.