A new poll commissioned by the Business for Good Foundation reveals a significant shift in American attitudes toward work and career success, driven largely by concerns about artificial intelligence replacing white-collar jobs. The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll between January 13-15, 2025, found that 76% of Americans believe hands-on jobs are less likely to be replaced by AI, while 75% agree that practical skills matter more than formal degrees for career success.
The poll of 2,085 American adults comes amid growing predictions from AI industry leaders about the technology’s impact on employment. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has predicted that AI could eliminate roughly half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within 1 to 5 years, though OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has questioned the extent of this forecast. Meanwhile, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently told the World Economic Forum that now is an ideal time to enter the trades, noting that the AI industry itself needs workers to build massive data centers, with six-figure salaries available for those in construction and manufacturing roles.
Ed Mitzen, cofounder of the Business for Good Foundation, emphasized that the American dream hasn’t disappeared but has shifted to new sectors. The survey found that 78% of respondents agree the stigma around trade and blue-collar work is declining, and three in four Americans say their definition of a “good” job has changed from five years ago.
Research supports these perceptions. Indeed’s GenAI Skill Transformation Index examined how generative AI could perform various jobs, finding that nursing, childcare, and construction were least likely to be affected by AI automation. Jobs requiring human interaction and physical presence appear most protected from AI disruption.
xAI CEO Elon Musk has also weighed in, telling podcaster Joe Rogan in November that jobs involving manual labor will survive much longer amid what he called the “supersonic tsunami” of AI. He noted that physical jobs like cooking and farming will exist far longer than digital roles performed at computers, which “AI is going to take over like lightning.”
Key Quotes
You’ve got a lot of people that have historically didn’t think the American dream was for them. I would argue that it isn’t broken, it’s just moved, and it’s moved to places we stop looking.
Ed Mitzen, cofounder of the Business for Good Foundation, explained how economic opportunity is shifting toward skilled trades and hands-on work as AI threatens traditional white-collar careers.
So we’re talking about six-figure salaries for people who are building chip factories or computer factories or AI factories, and we have a great shortage in that.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told BlackRock CEO Larry Fink at the World Economic Forum that the AI industry’s infrastructure boom is creating lucrative opportunities in construction and manufacturing trades.
Anything that’s physically moving atoms, like cooking food or farming, anything that’s physical, those jobs will exist for a much longer time. But anything that is digital, which is just someone at a computer doing something, AI is going to take over those jobs like lightning.
xAI CEO Elon Musk described to Joe Rogan the stark divide between physical jobs that will survive AI automation and digital knowledge work that faces rapid displacement.
Our Take
The convergence of public perception and AI executive predictions signals a genuine inflection point in workforce dynamics. What’s particularly striking is how quickly Americans are recalibrating their understanding of job security and career value—78% recognizing declining stigma around trades suggests this isn’t just abstract concern but active reassessment of career paths.
The irony that AI infrastructure requires precisely the workers AI can’t replace creates a unique economic opportunity window. However, we should be cautious about overstating blue-collar immunity. As robotics advances and AI integrates with physical systems, even hands-on work may face automation pressure. The real takeaway is that proximity to human needs and physical complexity currently provides the strongest protection against AI displacement, but this advantage may be temporary rather than permanent as embodied AI develops.
Why This Matters
This poll captures a pivotal moment in the AI revolution’s impact on the American workforce. As generative AI and agentic AI systems become increasingly capable of performing knowledge work, the traditional hierarchy of white-collar versus blue-collar employment is being fundamentally challenged. The findings suggest Americans are already adapting their career expectations and values in response to AI disruption.
The declining stigma around trade work represents a significant cultural shift with major economic implications. If more workers pursue skilled trades while AI automates office jobs, we could see labor shortages ease in construction, healthcare, and manufacturing while white-collar job competition intensifies. The AI industry’s own infrastructure needs—requiring electricians, construction workers, and technicians to build data centers—creates an ironic feedback loop where AI growth directly fuels demand for AI-resistant jobs.
For policymakers and educators, these findings underscore the urgency of rethinking workforce development strategies, potentially shifting resources from traditional four-year degrees toward vocational training and apprenticeships that prepare workers for an AI-dominated economy.
Related Stories
- The Future of Work in an AI World
- The Dangers of AI Labor Displacement
- Microsoft AI CEO’s Career Advice for Young People in the AI Era
- AI’s Role in Tech Hiring Freeze: White-Collar Job Market Slump
- Business Leaders Share Top 3 AI Workforce Predictions for 2025
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/poll-future-of-work-ai-blue-collar-business-for-good-2026-2