> in which case almost none are
It's this one, but different careers will diminish at different rates. Mathematics was already not financially well rewarded, and current AI is basically better than everyone in the field.
> this very attitude could lead to AI creating one of the biggest slowdowns in progress in history
I think there are enough young people with pre-AI experience that we'll probably develop superintelligence before they retire, so I don't really think a near-term lack of fresh talent will result in any significant slowdown.
> Mathematics was already not financially well rewarded,
Then why are frontier labs ploughing millions into racing human math researchers when they're already cash-strapped? What's the ROI for that?
What would you study? Current AI is basically better than everyone in every field. Have you tried the latest models?
> we'll probably develop superintelligence before they retire.
That ship has sailed:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/inau...