For workers wondering how far artificial intelligence will go, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has a blunt answer: AI will reshape the job market whether people are ready or not. Some jobs will disappear, some will change, and new ones will likely emerge. But Dimon warns that the speed of this transition matters no less than the technology itself.

"As a business person, my view is don't put your head in the sand," Dimon said during a livestreamed event in Davos, Switzerland, in January. "That's just the way it's going to be. We're going to deploy AI. Is it going to eliminate jobs? Yes. Is it going to change jobs? Yes. Is it going to create some jobs? Probably yes."

Dimon was answering a question about whether AI could deliver a major shock to the labor market, including the possibility that half of entry-level white-collar jobs could vanish within one to five years. He did not offer a precise forecast for job losses, instead focusing on how companies and governments should respond if technology advances faster than workers can adapt.

"You can wish for the world you want, but you have to accept the world as it will be; your competitors and countries will all use this technology," Dimon said.

He also warned that AI could develop faster than society can absorb. Should that happen, governments and companies may need to provide retraining for workers, help people relocate for jobs, and offer income support during the transition. Dimon pointed to the U.S. Trade Adjustment Assistance program, a federal initiative originally designed to help workers who lost jobs due to trade shocks. But he said the program has been "executed incredibly poorly" in the U.S. and "didn't work." He believes this time a truly viable plan is needed.

Pay dropping from $150,000 to $25,000: the assumption of a sharp income decline

Dimon then offered a hypothetical case involving a profession that could be affected by AI in the future: truck drivers. Dimon said there are 2 million truck drivers in the U.S. In the future, AI might enable one-touch autonomous trucking. The technology could save lives, improve transport efficiency, and cut carbon emissions. But that does not mean the transition can happen overnight.

"If 2 million people were making $150,000 a year driving trucks and the new job pays $25,000, do we want to do that all at once?" Dimon asked. "No. That would cause social unrest. So it has to be phased in."

The $150,000 and $25,000 figures are hypothetical numbers Dimon used to illustrate the economic shock of a rapid transition, not the actual average pay for truck drivers or their subsequent roles.

You cannot fire 2 million truck drivers tomorrow

In Dimon's view, the solution is not to halt AI, but to give workers and communities time to adapt. "The point is simple: you can't lay off 2 million truck drivers all at once tomorrow; you can phase it in over a longer period," Dimon said.

He suggested some responses could be implemented at the local level: incentives for companies to retrain employees; slowing the pace of transition when necessary; and providing income support. Regarding JPMorgan, Dimon said the bank will not make massive layoffs overnight because of AI. But when asked whether the company's total headcount would be lower in five years, he acknowledged that is possible.

"If we do well, we'll still be expanding globally. But my guess is headcount will probably be lower," Dimon said.

Preparing for risks that cannot be predicted

The broader takeaway is not just about truck drivers or AI. Job changes have many causes, and workers often get little warning before an industry, company, or role is transformed. That means even without predicting the exact risk, sound financial planning still matters. A clear grasp of income, expenses, savings, debt, insurance, and long-term goals can help you better handle major disruptions. If you need professional help sorting through the decisions, a financial adviser can help you plan from a holistic perspective and build a plan around what you can control. No one can precisely predict which jobs will disappear, which industries will change, or what form the next major disruptive shock will take. But people can prepare in advance for the possibility that their financial situation will change.