The Indicator from Planet Money

How AI is shrinking the job market for teens

January 9, 2026

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  • Seventeen-year-old Karissa Tang conducted an economic research project predicting a 27% decline in teen jobs by 2030 due to AI displacement, with cashier roles facing the steepest 54% drop. 
  • Teen jobs most susceptible to AI automation include cashiers, fast food counter workers, and customer service representatives, while roles requiring interpersonal skills or complex physical movements, like restaurant hosts, are safer in the near term. 
  • Karissa Tang suggests educators should prioritize critical thinking, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship in the curriculum to better prepare young people for the changing job market impacted by AI. 

Segments

BLS Jobs Report Overview
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(00:00:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The December jobs report showed the US economy added 50,000 jobs, but prior months were revised down by 76,000, indicating labor market cooling.
  • Summary: The Bureau of Labor Statistics released December jobs numbers following a government shutdown disruption. The economy added 50,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate fell to 4.4%. Revisions for October and November showed 76,000 fewer jobs added than initially reported, suggesting the labor market cooled at the end of 2025.
Karissa Tang’s Research Origin
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(00:01:14)
  • Key Takeaway: A high school student’s curiosity about AI replacing teen jobs was sparked when her aunt’s boba shop didn’t need summer help due to AI-powered kiosks.
  • Summary: The episode focuses on Karissa Tang, a 17-year-old who researched the impact of AI on typical teen jobs like cashiers and fast food workers. Her interest began when her aunt’s boba shop replaced counter roles with AI-powered kiosks. This observation launched her ambitious economic research project.
Karissa’s Academic Prowess
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(00:02:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Karissa Tang demonstrated exceptional analytical skills by cold-emailing a UCLA professor and producing research assistant work comparable to MBA or PhD students.
  • Summary: Karissa, a senior in high school from Silicon Valley, also co-designed and manufactured a strategy board game called Booted. She impressed UCLA faculty member George Geis with her resume and work quality, despite being much younger than typical research assistants.
Methodology for AI Impact Study
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(00:04:26)
  • Key Takeaway: The research quantified AI displacement risk by matching the top 10 teen jobs (like cashier, server) with current AI technology deployment and growth rates.
  • Summary: Karissa first identified the top 10 most popular jobs for 16-to-19-year-olds using BLS data, with cashier being number one at 13%. She then researched specific AI technologies, such as cooking robots used by White Castle, to estimate future unit deployment and subsequent employee displacement.
Projected Job Decline and Safe Roles
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(00:05:36)
  • Key Takeaway: The analysis projects a 27% decline in teen jobs by 2030, with cashier jobs facing a 54% drop, though roles requiring sophisticated physical movement or interpersonal skills are safer.
  • Summary: The headline finding predicts a 27% reduction in teen employment by 2030. Cashier jobs are expected to see the largest loss (54%) due to self-checkout stations. Restaurant hosts and cooks are projected to have minimal impact before 2030 because their tasks require interpersonal skills or complex physical movements.
Skills for Future Adaptation
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(00:07:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Karissa advocates for educational reform emphasizing critical thinking and entrepreneurship over routine task memorization to help students adapt to economic changes.
  • Summary: Karissa uses AI tools like ChatGPT as a study aid, demonstrating a pragmatic approach to technology. Her 20-page paper concludes with policy suggestions for educators. These suggestions include emphasizing critical thinking and digital literacy over routine tasks and integrating entrepreneurship into the curriculum.