Welcome to 2028: AI, Work, and Financial Resilience

Treat the 2028 crisis numbers as a thought experiment, not a forecast. The 10.2 percent unemployment rate and 38 percent market drawdown come from a hypothetical Citrini Research scenario — a way to stress-test your preparedness, not a prediction to panic over.

The labor market signal is already visible. Meta announced more than 11,000 layoffs in 2022, about 10,000 planned reductions in 2023, and a reported 8,000 cuts in 2026 — all while increasing AI investment. The pattern of cutting headcount while scaling automation is not theoretical.

Expert expectations remain uncertain. In the featured Atlantic Council survey, 57.9 percent of 394 respondents said AGI could arrive by 2036. That uncertainty is exactly why personal preparation matters more than any single prediction.

Personal resilience starts with cash flow and time. Reduce avoidable spending and aim for at least three months of essential living expenses before taking greater financial risk. The buffer is what lets you make calm decisions when others are forced into reactive ones.

Use AI to increase capacity, but keep human judgment. Domain knowledge, quality control, relationships, and ethical reasoning remain the skills that compound — and they are the ones no model can fully replace.