US Energy Sector Faces Severe Labor Shortage as Robots Step In

The US energy sector is facing a severe labor shortage, with Goldman Sachs predicting that it will need around half a million additional workers across the power and grid industry by 2030. This shortage has become so acute that some experts believe AI-powered robots could help fill the gap.

According to Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research, meeting rising US electricity demand could require an extra half a million workers in the power and grid industry by 2030. However, many of these workers are already in short supply, with around 41% of the current construction workforce projected to retire by 2031.

Some jobs in high demand can come with six-figure salaries, such as electrical power-line installers and repairers, who earned a median salary of $92,560 in 2024. However, getting into these fields often requires technical instruction and extensive on-the-job training, which is not readily available.

The AI boom could eventually help pick up some of the slack if America cannot train enough workers quickly enough. Goldman Sachs believes growing interest in physical AI, including humanoid robots, is being driven in part by the need for labor. However, widespread commercial adoption is expected to take years and it may be more useful as another set of hands or four legs.