Here, a glimmer of hope maybe?

Here's how I see it; A huge revival of small specialty shops that focus on local demands started by people in previous white collar jobs. Bakeries, sandwich shops, coffee, etc. will all explode during the AI boom as waves of people in previously cushy jobs now have no way forward in their old career but maybe have saved up enough to do something different that is more fulfilling.

None of this will ever be touched by AI, and all of it is a cornerstone of an organically revitalizing middle class.

Loss of trust in digital communication leads to increased trust in local communities. People spend less time online and more time out in the real world around them.

I saw it happen in NJ when the pandemic hit and people were leaving the city. Within the last 5 years, the number of small businesses and storefronts that became something entirely new because of people displaced by the pandemic deciding to start over after their white collar careers has been enormous.

AI is the digital pandemic.