The AI Layoff Trap Doomsday Clock
Every company knows AI layoffs destroy their own customers. But none can afford to stop.
How the Trap Works
1. A company automates jobs with AI
A firm replaces 30% of its workforce with AI. It saves millions in salary costs — every dollar saved goes straight to its bottom line. This is the obvious, rational thing to do.
Imagine every restaurant in town replaces its waitstaff with ordering kiosks. Each restaurant saves money, but now thousands of former waiters can't afford to eat out anywhere. Total restaurant revenue collapses. Every owner saw it coming — but none could afford to be the last one with human staff.
Dragging this slider speeds up how fast companies adopt AI. At higher speeds, profits collapse sooner. This controls the countdown above and the chart below.
Projected Economy-Wide Profit: Today to Collapse
Sector Status
Each sector's current AI adoption rate compared to the sustainable rate. A sector is “trapped” when competitive pressure pushes automation beyond what's economically healthy.