Amid the global push for cost optimization, the structure of the labor market is facing unprecedented challenges. Rob Garlick, a former executive from Citigroup, recently warned that as AI agents become more widespread, the number of robots will surpass the global workforce within the next few decades.

In a recent interview, Garlick pointed out that the core logic of current business management remains "profit-driven." When technological advances provide AI with high cost-effectiveness, an unprecedented wave of replacement is inevitable. According to Citibank's forecast, the number of AI robots (including humanoid robots and autonomous vehicles) worldwide will reach 1.3 billion by 2035, and this number is expected to surge to 4 billion by 2050.

The cost analysis in the report shows that AI's competitiveness is almost a "dimensional attack." For example, a humanoid robot priced at around $15,000 can recoup its cost in less than four weeks if it replaces a job paying $41 per hour. Even if it replaces low-wage positions, the payback period is only about six months. This extremely high return on investment makes it difficult for human employees to maintain a competitive advantage in purely physical or repetitive intellectual tasks.

This transformation is already evident among top consulting firms and tech giants. McKinsey has already deployed 20,000 AI agents, and it expects their number to match that of its employees within one and a half years. While some industry leaders, such as NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, believe AI will drive demand for high-paying technical jobs, most international institutions still caution that countries and companies are not sufficiently prepared for this "wave of labor change."