In this report, McKinsey & Co highlights that Black Americans are poised to be disproportionately impacted by automation, with the possibility of some 132,000 African-American jobs being displaced as a result of automation and artificial intelligence by the year 2030.
There are well-documented, persistent and growing racial wealth gaps between African-American families and white families in the United States. Studies indicate the median White family in the United States holds more than ten times the wealth of the median African-American families. Studies suggest that African-Americans are geographically removed from future job growth centers and are more likely to be concentrated in areas of job decline.
if left unchecked, these trends could have a significant negative effect on the income generation, wealth and stability of Black families as well as the country’s economy. African-American workers occupy this “distinctly disadvantaged position” in part because they tend to be overrepresented in automation vulnerable roles like food-service working, office clerks and truck drivers. This was highlighted in McKinsey & Co’s previous report. At the same time, they are underrepresented in low-displacement occupations like educators, creatives, health professionals and legal professionals.