Imagine a future where your job, your industry, and even your daily life are transformed beyond recognition—all because of artificial intelligence. This isn’t science fiction; it’s a possibility that’s closer than you think. Matt Shumer, the author behind the viral essay ‘Something Big is Coming,’ believes we’re on the brink of an AI-driven revolution, and he’s not mincing words about it. But here’s where it gets controversial: Shumer didn’t just write about AI—he used it to help craft his essay, and he says that’s exactly the point.
With over 60 million views on X (formerly Twitter) alone, Shumer’s essay has sparked a global conversation about the impending disruption AI could bring. In an interview with Business Insider, he emphasized the urgency of his message: ‘Even if there’s just a 20% chance of this happening, people deserve to know and have time to prepare.’ Shumer’s concern isn’t just for tech insiders—it’s for everyone, including his own father, a lawyer nearing retirement who might not be ready for the seismic shifts ahead.
But this is the part most people miss: Shumer’s essay isn’t just a warning; it’s a call to action. He argues that AI’s impact could dwarf even the upheaval caused by COVID-19, a comparison that’s drawn both applause and pushback. And while Shumer has faced scrutiny for past claims—like his 2024 promotion of an open-source model that fell short of expectations—he’s unapologetically transparent about his use of AI tools like Claude to refine his writing. ‘It did help a lot,’ he admitted, ‘and I think that’s kind of the point.’
Shumer isn’t alone in his concerns. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns that up to half of entry-level white-collar jobs could vanish in the next one to five years, while Elon Musk, CEO of xAI, calls AI a ‘supersonic tsunami’ poised to eliminate non-physical labor jobs. Even Shumer, at just 26 and cofounder of AI-assisted writing tool HyperWrite, admits feeling unsettled: ‘I don’t know how many more years of my career there will be if this all actually comes to pass.’
The real challenge? AI’s impact won’t be uniform. While nurses might remain largely unaffected, junior lawyers and others in roles reliant on introductory tasks are already in the crosshairs of AI companies. Shumer’s realization came after experiencing OpenAI’s GPT-5.3-Codex, a model capable of performing technical work—including, ironically, the kind of writing Shumer does.
So, what’s his advice? If you’ve written off AI after a clunky encounter with early ChatGPT, think again. ‘If you look back 10 years from now and this did come to pass, you’ll be very glad you did,’ Shumer told Business Insider. But here’s the question: Are we ready to face the future Shumer describes, or are we burying our heads in the sand? Let’s discuss—do you think AI’s potential disruption is overhyped, or is Shumer onto something? Share your thoughts below.
