
U.S. faces historic labor drought as births drop and retirees surge
As colleges fret over AI-driven job shifts, economists warn the United States is headed for the largest worker shortage in history, driven by an aging workforce, a collapsing birthrate, and slower immigration, with millions more leaving the labor force than entering through the early 2030s. Shortages span health care, education, engineering, manufacturing and other sectors—many of which AI cannot fill—potentially pushing wages higher as policymakers scramble to respond.











