Senate Report Warns AI Could Replace 100 Million U.S. Jobs — Democrats Push for ‘Robot Tax’
A new Senate report led by Bernie Sanders warns that artificial intelligence could replace over half of jobs in major industries within a decade, prompting calls for a “robot tax” to protect workers and fund retraining programs.
A new U.S. Senate report has warned that artificial intelligence could replace nearly 100 million jobs in America over the next decade, sparking calls from Democrats to impose a new tax — dubbed the “Robot Tax” — on companies that substitute human labor with technology.
The study was spearheaded by Independent Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont) and conducted by Democratic staff members on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP).
The analysis examined 20 major labor sectors, partially using responses from ChatGPT to assess the potential for automation. It found that in 15 of these sectors, more than half of existing jobs could be replaced by AI systems or robotics.
Robot Tax Proposed as AI Threatens Millions of Service Jobs
According to the report, fast food and kitchen workers are expected to be hit the hardest, with a projected loss of 3 million jobs, representing about 89% of that workforce. Other sectors most at risk include customer service, shipping and logistics, and executive assistants, where reliance on technology is expected to exceed 80%. Sanders described this as an “economic crossroads”, urging lawmakers to take action.
At the core of the proposed Robot Tax is the idea that companies would pay a tax for each human job replaced by machines, algorithms, or technological systems. The revenue would help offset lost payroll taxes and fund retraining programs for displaced workers. Sanders argues this tax would balance corporate profits with public responsibility.
Business leader and Microsoft founder Bill Gates has voiced similar ideas, suggesting that companies benefiting from widespread automation should “pay their fair share” to ease economic disruption.
Senate Proposes Worker Protections Amid AI Transformation
In addition to the tax, the Senate report laid out a broader agenda that includes establishing a 32-hour work week, a $17 federal minimum wage, stronger overtime protections, and employee equity shares in automated industries.
The authors of the report stressed that the impact of AI is not predetermined but depends on policy choices made today.
In an op-ed published on Monday, Sanders warned that unregulated technological transformation could “strip the economy of its humanity,” prioritizing efficiency over dignity. He added:“We need a world where people live healthier, happier lives — not a world where machines make all the money.”
