The relentless pursuit of profitability, coupled with rapid technological advancements, is poised to usher in a seismic shift in the global workforce, with artificial intelligence set to outnumber human workers within a few decades. This stark prediction comes from Rob Garlick, former head of innovation, technology, and the future of work at Citi Global Insights, who warns that businesses prioritizing efficiency and cost-cutting through AI adoption will inevitably sideline their human employees.
“We have a leadership system, in economic and business terms, that celebrates profitability,” Garlick articulated in a recent discussion. “When you marry profitability with technological progress, we’re facing the biggest trade in history. Artificial intelligence will be able to do more, better, and cheaper, and that will substitute for people.”
Garlick’s extensive research, detailed in his book “AI – Anarchy or Abundance? Why the Future of Work Needs Pro-Human Leaders,” indicates a monumental surge in AI deployment. He projects that within the next two decades, the number of autonomous AI systems, ranging from sophisticated humanoid robots to domestic cleaning units and self-driving vehicles, will surpass the human working population. This figure is expected to grow from an estimated 1.3 billion by 2035 to over 4 billion by 2050.
The economic rationale behind this transition is particularly compelling. A recent Citi report highlighted the rapid return on investment for AI automation. For instance, a robot costing $15,000 could recoup its initial investment in as little as 3.8 weeks when replacing a human worker earning $41 per hour, or 21.6 weeks for a minimum wage position at $7.25 per hour. Even more sophisticated robots priced at $35,000 can achieve payback in under 9 weeks for a high-wage role. “You can already buy a humanoid today that gives you a payback period versus human workers of less than 10 weeks,” Garlick stated, emphasizing that “Humans can’t compete on this basis.”
The rise of AI agents, software programs capable of independent decision-making and task execution, is accelerating this trend. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index indicates that 80% of business leaders anticipate significant integration of AI agents into their strategies within the next 12 to 18 months. McKinsey & Company, a global leader in management consulting, already employs 20,000 AI agents alongside its 40,000 human employees, a stark increase from just 3,000 agents a year prior. Bob Sternfels, McKinsey’s global managing partner, predicts a parity between human employees and AI agents within the next 18 months.
This sentiment echoes sentiments from industry titans like Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who posited at the World Economic Forum that AI could surpass human intelligence by the end of this year. Musk envisions a future of unprecedented abundance driven by AI, stating, “My prediction is, in the benign scenario of the future, that we will actually make so many robots in AI that they will actually saturate all human… there will be such an abundance of goods and services because my prediction is that there’ll be more robots than people.”
The implications for the labor market are profound and already being felt. Major corporations including Amazon, Salesforce, Accenture, Heineken, and Lufthansa have cited AI integration as a contributing factor to significant workforce reductions. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, described AI’s impact on the labor market as a “tsunami,” warning of the unpreparedness of most nations and businesses. Data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas indicates that AI played a role in nearly 55,000 layoffs in the U.S. in 2025 alone.
However, not all perspectives are cautionary. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, offers a more optimistic outlook, forecasting that the “AI boom” will spur demand for high-skilled labor, creating lucrative six-figure salaries for those involved in building AI infrastructure and chip factories. He believes the technology will elevate skilled trades such as plumbing, electrical work, construction, and steel fabrication, suggesting that while some roles may be displaced, new opportunities will emerge for those with the right expertise.
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