AI Boom Creates New Path to Six-Figure Salaries
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicts that the next wave of six-figure jobs will be created for skilled tradespeople, not just white-collar workers. He cites the rapid growth of AI data centers, which are driving what he calls 'the largest infrastructure build-out in human history.'
Huang made these comments during a conversation with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year. The data center expansion is expected to increase demand for skilled trade workers involved in building and maintaining these facilities.
A McKinsey report estimates that between 2023 and 2030, the US will require an additional 130,000 electricians, 240,000 construction labourers, and 150,000 construction supervisors. Huang also notes that 'everybody should be able to make a great living' without needing a PhD in computer science.
Other tech CEOs, including Ford's Jim Farley, have highlighted the growing need for skilled workers. Farley warns of labor shortages affecting US manufacturing and notes that AI is changing hiring patterns for office jobs. He predicts that 'literally half of all white-collar workers' will be replaced by artificial intelligence.