Fox Host Grills Kevin Hassett Over AI-Related Layoffs, He Insists ‘Those Are Headlines That You See Every Year’
Fox’s Martha MacCallum grilled Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett over AI-related layoffs on Friday’s edition of The Story, to which he insisted that “those are headlines that you see every year.”
MacCallum cited recent layoffs — and subsequent statements — from companies like UPS and Amazon blaming advances in AI for the cuts. “I’m wondering what you think the impact on the U.S. economy is if we continue to see these kinds of layoffs in people who went to college, they’re in a white-collar job, they’ve been there for 3-5 years, and they’re about to get pink slips,” she asked.
“Obviously, our heart goes out to anyone who loses a job, but right now, job creation is positive,” said Hassett, the front-runner to take over Fed chair Jerome Powell’s position when his term ends in May. “When people are using AI at work, they’re becoming more productive and seeing high —”
“You see these layoffs that are happening,” interrupted MacCallum. “Are you hearing that?”
“I read the news stories as well as you, Martha,” clapped back Hassett. “If you’re unfortunate enough to have your firm say, ‘I’m gonna replace you’… if you move to a new profession, AI is gonna help you train faster… The labor market is positive, the GDP and income numbers are all real positive. We see the headlines, but those are headlines that you see every year.”
MacCallum, looking bewildered, clarified, “So you’re saying that you don’t think there’s any AI reorganization job structure coming in the United States of America?”
“AI is making people more productive, so that’s making it so some firms can make the same amount of stuff with fewer workers,” said Hassett. “But then those workers go get another job, and that’s why labor markets are looking so solid right now.”
Notably, in September, Hassett told CNBC that the latest jobs report was “a bit of a disappointment right now.”
Watch the clip above via Fox.
The post Fox Host Grills Kevin Hassett Over AI-Related Layoffs, He Insists ‘Those Are Headlines That You See Every Year’ first appeared on Mediaite.
