The question of whether artificial intelligence takes jobs or creates new ones has its roots in centuries of technological transformation. Concerns about automation date back to the Industrial Revolution, when machines began replacing manual labor in factories. However, the modern discussion gained momentum in the late 20th and early 21st centuries with advances in computing power, robotics, and machine learning. The term “artificial intelligence” was coined in 1956, but its impact on labor markets became significant only with the rise of data-driven algorithms and automation tools capable of performing cognitive tasks once limited to humans. Industries such as manufacturing, finance, healthcare, and logistics began integrating AI to improve efficiency and reduce costs, giving rise to both fears of displacement and optimism about innovation. Concepts like “reskilling,” “augmentation,” and the “future of work” became central to policy and economic research. Governments and global institutions now track the balance between job loss and creation as AI drives new sectors in data science, cybersecurity, creative industries, and human–machine collaboration. The issue reflects a broader historical pattern: each technological wave—steam, electricity, computing, and now AI has redefined labor, challenging societies to adapt education, ethics, and economic systems to new realities.