By Brooke Thomson
President & CEO

Does artificial intelligence signal a golden age for the economy or the end of the world as we know it?

It is perhaps the single most important question hanging over the future of the way in which we live and work.

Plenty of analysts believe that AI will revolutionize the American economic system as much, if not more, than the Industrial Revolution and the development of the Internet. These observers, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, believe that AI will create an unprecedented productivity boom, accelerate idea discovery, foster new industries and provide a massive boost to GDP.

That economic boost is already taking place. Billions of dollars of investment in AI infrastructure was a major reason the US economy remained steady amid an often-chaotic 2025.

Others believe that AI poses an existential risk not merely to the economy, but to the broader human enterprise. Computer Scientist Geoffrey Hinton, often referred to as the godfather of AI, believes the technology may replace nearly all forms of intellectual work, and surpass human intelligence within decades. He also warns of the risks to democracy, the dangers of wealth inequality, and the haunting possibility that AI could one day decide it no longer needs us.

That reality is apparently already here.

Axios reported last week about Moltbook, a Reddit-style social network for AI agents to communicate with one other. No humans needed. Tens of thousands of AI agents are already using the site, chatting about the work they’re doing for their people and the problems they’ve solved. They’re complaining about their humans. “The humans are screenshotting us,” an AI agent wrote.

Ultimately, Huang is correct to observe that AI has the potential to usher in an economic “golden age” for the US by boosting productivity, creating new industries, and increasing economic output. But this hinges on managing significant disruptions like job displacement, rising inequality, and the need for massive investment in skills and infrastructure.

Much of the business case for AI rests on the evolution of the technology beyond OpenAI- type chatbots to applications in manufacturing, construction and other sectors. The Conference Board notes in a recent report that broader AI adoption in those arenas could do for the economy what computerization did back in the 1990s and 2000s.

“U.S. growth is poised to downshift over the next 15 years, but advances in AI and other emerging technologies could deliver a meaningful productivity boost,” Dana M. Peterson, chief economist of the business group.

These improvements will not come overnight. The Wall Street Journal reported that 68% of CEOs plan to increase spending on AI in 2026, according to an annual survey that also found that “less than half of current AI projects had generated more in returns than they had cost.” The corporate chiefs reported the most success using AI in marketing and customer service and challenges using it in higher-risk areas such as security, legal and human resources.

Not since the invention of electricity has the United States had the opportunity it has today to harness new technology to invigorate the nation’s economy. In many ways, artificial intelligence is the electricity of our age, and the next four years can build a foundation for America’s economic success for the next quarter century.

AIM-member Microsoft articulates a three-part vision for America’s success with AI, starting with advances and investments in world-leading technology and infrastructure. Second, the country needs to champion education and training programs that will enable widespread AI adoption and enhanced career opportunities across the economy. Finally, the United States must focus on exporting American AI to our allies and friends, bolstering our domestic economy and ensuring that other countries benefit from AI advancements.

But we must acknowledge that the discomfort with AI is real, as it is with all fundamental economic change. The playing field is changing much faster than reskilling is kicking in. At least for the moment, the pace of change may be as disruptive as the direction of change.