AI needs power, and America needs 500,000 more energy workers

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is not only threatening some white-collar and entry-level jobs; it’s also creating new opportunities and exposing a major shortage of workers in America’s energy sector, Fortune reports. 

According to Goldman Sachs, the U.S. power and grid value chain could need around 500,000 additional workers by 2030 as demand for electricity and infrastructure grows, partly because of AI. 

However, these jobs often require three to four years of training, while the energy apprenticeship pipeline had only 45,000 entrants in 2024 compared with the roughly 65,000 needed each year. Many energy careers also provide competitive wages without requiring a four-year college degree. 

If the labor shortage continues, companies may increasingly rely on automation and robots. Goldman Sachs projects that the humanoid robot market could grow from about 20,000 units in 2025 to 1.4 million by 2035. 

Autonomous equipment is already being used in industries such as manufacturing, mining, agriculture and warehousing, while humanoid robots are beginning to perform factory and inspection tasks. China is moving especially quickly, with robots already being used for power-line maintenance and energy-facility inspections. 

China has also announced plans to deploy about 8,500 AI-powered robots for power-grid inspection and maintenance.

Fortune has the full story. A subscription may be required.