The Download: puncturing the AI jobs panic

Despite widespread fears that artificial intelligence is destroying white-collar jobs, US labor data shows unemployment in AI-exposed occupations is actually lower than in less-exposed jobs, with no evidence of mass shifts into manual labor. However, a Stanford study found that young workers in AI-exposed roles have suffered a sharp decline in employment, suggesting the technology is replacing entry-level tasks that once provided career footholds. Separately, Pope Leo issued his first major teaching document calling on governments to regulate AI, warning it must be "disarmed" to prevent fueling war and misinformation.

The Download: puncturing the AI jobs panic Plus: The Pope has called for governments to regulate AI. This is today's edition of The Download https://forms.technologyreview.com/newsletters/briefing-the-download/? ga=2.179569122.736533416.1649661040-405833893.1649413289 , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. A reality check on the AI jobs hysteria Despite the growing hysteria over AI’s threat to white-collar jobs, there’s still scant evidence that the technology has had a large-scale impact on the labor market. Analysis of US labor data shows that unemployment in occupations most exposed to AI is actually lower than in less-exposed jobs. There are also no signs that large numbers of workers are shifting from AI-threatened professions into supposedly safer manual-labor jobs. It’s true that things aren’t great in the job market—but the question is why. Here’s what the data really says about AI and jobs https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/05/26/1137855/a-reality-check-on-the-ai-jobs-hysteria/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C . —David Rotman Opinion: It’s time to address the looming crisis in entry-level work — Georgios Petropoulos, an assistant professor at the USC Marshall School of Business AI has not yet produced mass unemployment. But it may be quietly weakening the first rung of the career ladder. A recent Stanford study found that young workers in AI-exposed occupations suffered a sharp decline in employment after the spread of generative AI. The same pattern didn’t appear in low-exposure jobs, suggesting AI is replacing junior tasks that once gave young workers their first foothold. It’s time to rethink how we train, prepare, and support young people entering the workforce. Read this op-ed on how job seekers, businesses, and society can adapt https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/05/26/1137865/its-time-to-address-the-looming-crisis-in-entry-level-work/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C . The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The Pope has called for governments to regulate AI In his first major teaching document, Pope Leo said AI must be “disarmed.” BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cedppn6002jo + He warned that AI fuels war and misinformation. CNN https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/25/europe/pope-leo-ai-encyclical-magnifica-humanitas-intl + But could also "open up a horizon extending in all directions.” Engadget https://www.engadget.com/2180436/pope-leo-calls-for-ai-to-serve-humanity-and-not-concentrate-power/ + Anthropic cofounder Chris Olah also spoke at the event. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/anthropics-olah-says-ai-must-be-guided-outside-big-tech-2026-05-25/ $ 2 SpaceX has launched its biggest and most powerful rocket The Starship V3 made its test flight debut two days after Elon Musk announced SpaceX’s IPO. Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/22/spacex-launch-texas-test-flight + SpaceX pulled off the launch, but not the landing. Ars Technica https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/spacexs-starship-v3-still-a-work-in-progress-mostly-successful-on-first-flight/ + The rocket could be key to SpaceX’s valuation. Fortune https://fortune.com/2026/05/24/spacex-ipo-high-valuation-starship-orbital-data-centers-starlink-moon-mars/ $ + But rivals to the company are rising. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/04/03/1114198/rivals-are-rising-to-challenge-the-dominance-of-spacex/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 3 Huawei says it can make industry-leading chips within five years The Chinese tech giant announced a breakthrough in chip design. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/huawei-proposes-new-path-chip-development-amid-us-sanctions-2026-05-25/ $ + Its progress underscores Beijing's push to neutralize US sanctions. NBC https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/chinas-huawei-touts-chip-design-breakthrough-bid-defy-us-sanctions-rcna346783 + Chinese chip stocks rallied after the announcement. Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-26/chinese-chip-stocks-rise-in-hong-kong-on-hopes-for-huawei-tech $ 4 A new vaccine may protect against the Ebola strain behind the current crisis Tests have shown promising results for the mRNA vaccine. New Scientist https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527731-experimental-mrna-vaccine-may-protect-against-multiple-ebola-viruses/ + Another Ebola vaccine that could be ready for trials in months. BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy82gkr7xzlo + But vaccines face a new problem: their name. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/04/10/1135631/whats-in-a-name-modernas-vaccine-vs-therapy-dilemma/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 5 A swimmer broke a world record at the ‘Steroid Olympics’ Athletes at the Enhance Games were encouraged to take dope. Wired https://www.wired.com/story/a-swimmer-broke-a-world-record-at-the-enhanced-games/ $ + Silicon Valley elites have backed the competition. WP https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/05/24/with-enhanced-games-silicon-valley-investors-turn-doping-into-billion-dollar-business-pitch/ $ + Which fits right into 2026’s longevity vibes. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/05/22/1137753/the-enhanced-games-fit-right-in-with-the-rest-of-2026s-longevity-vibes/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 6 The EU plans to fine Google a massive antitrust penalty For allegedly favoring its own services in search results. CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/26/eu-plans-to-fine-google-triple-digit-million-euro-sum-handelsblatt.html + It would be the largest penalty for breaching the Digital Markets Act. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-plans-fine-google-high-triple-digit-million-euro-sum-handelsblatt-reports-2026-05-25/ $ 7 US quantum computing subsidies may not be legal Congressional critics say the funding has been misused. Ars Technica https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/uss-big-bet-on-quantum-computing-may-not-be-entirely-legal/ 8 AI is minting new billionaires—and workers want their share The Samsung labor showdown reflects global concerns. Rest of World https://restofworld.org/2026/samsung-south-korea-union-ai-profits/ 9 China has launched artificial human embryos into orbit To find out whether we can reproduce beyond Earth. Gizmodo https://gizmodo.com/china-launched-artificial-embryos-to-orbit-to-find-out-if-we-can-have-space-babies-2000763169 10 Jony Ives has designed Ferrari’s first fully-electric car The legendary Apple designer has created a polarizing aesthetic. FT https://www.ft.com/content/8cbd876b-6a91-433e-a903-23a5c5250511?syn-25a6b1a6=1 $ Quote of the day “Technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate, and use it.” —Pope Leo issues a warning about AI in his first encyclical letter https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html , entitled ‘Magnifica humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.” One More Thing How climate vulnerability and the digital divide are linked How climate vulnerability and the digital divide are linked In Anacostia, a historic African-American section of Washington, DC, Monica Sanders is measuring Wi-Fi speeds. It’s below the FCC’s minimum to qualify as a broadband service. She then checks the temperature: 46.9 °F. Sanders, an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University, frequently records this combination of weak internet access and environmental conditions. Her work shows how underinvestment in infrastructure can leave underserved communities more exposed to climate risks like extreme heat and flooding. Discover how the digital divide is shaping climate vulnerability in the US https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/06/20/1074244/climate-vulnerability-digital-divide/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C . —Colleen Hagerty We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. Got any ideas? Drop me a line . + Here’s a joyful way to settle sibling squabbles: a mandatory dance-off https://www.tiktok.com/@89official/video/7626199828241943822 . + Build the metropolis of your dreams https://iso-city.com/?ref=DenseDiscovery-379 in this browser-based city simulation game. + Watch this hypnotic tiny train https://x.com/Btoretsukuru/status/2049145736277971045 move in a perfect, endless loop on a rotating turntable. + Take a nostalgic look at early computing history with this curated gallery of vintage punch cards https://punchcards.tristandavey.com/?ref=DenseDiscovery-388 . Deep Dive The Download The Download: DeepSeek’s latest AI breakthrough, and the race to build world models Plus: China has blocked Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus. The Download: introducing the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now Plus: An unauthorized group has reportedly accessed Anthropic’s Mythos. The Download: supercharged scams and studying AI healthcare Plus: DeepSeek has unveiled its long-awaited new AI model. The Download: inside the Musk v. Altman trial, and AI for democracy Plus: the Pentagon has struck sweeping AI deals for classified work. Stay connected Get the latest updates from MIT Technology Review Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.