Jacobin Radio Confronting Capitalism: Is AI Coming for Our Jobs?
18 snips
Feb 18, 2026 
Vivek Chibber, NYU sociology professor and editor of Catalyst, brings Marxist political-economy perspective. He debates whether AI is truly apocalyptic for work. He contrasts job-replacing automation with task-augmenting tools. He examines historical tech shifts, how capital steers adoption, and why labor power and policy matter for who benefits.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Automation Rarely Cuts Total Jobs
- Historical waves of automation rarely cause long-term aggregate job loss across the economy.
- Past technologies displaced tasks but also boosted productivity and created new jobs elsewhere.
Automation Can Create New Jobs
- ATMs increased bank profitability and led banks to open more branches.
- Bank teller roles shifted from clerical cashing to customer relations, increasing listings despite automation.
Sector Effects Versus Economy-Wide Dynamics
- Technical change both displaces labor and increases economic growth, creating demand elsewhere.
- Sectoral effects must be netted with economy-wide income and price effects to predict employment outcomes.