Ray Dalio: The U.S. Economy is Dependent on Artificial Intelligence!

Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, has a pessimistic view of the United States economy. Despite the rapidly rising stock market and increasing gross domestic product (GDP), Dalio points out that this optimistic outlook conceals future economic challenges.

Dalio emphasized that the economy's heavy reliance on the top 1% of the workforce is a serious issue. He also noted that the stock market and the economy, significantly tied to artificial intelligence (AI), are fraught with challenges for workers across many sectors. In a statement at the Fortune Global Forum, he said, "You can't look at the US in general today."

At the same time, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is planning to lay off more than 14,000 corporate employees, exemplifying the impact of AI in the labor market. This represents about 10% of the company's corporate workforce. Companies are continuously seeking new ways to increase revenues and profit margins, and AI is seen as a tool to achieve these goals.

The retail sector has long been using self-checkout systems to reduce cashier dependency. Artificial intelligence is not only affecting the retail workforce; the British Film Institute published a report stating that AI threatens the economic foundation of the UK’s screen sector. This situation also poses a concerning development for Hollywood.

The underlying reason for Dalio's concerns is related to considering the impact of AI on GDP. Notably, the spending on AI by large technology companies contributed 1.1% to GDP growth in the first half of 2025. During this period, AI contributed more to GDP growth than spending by US consumers.

Conversely, the potential for AI to become an engine of economic growth holds the risk of creating greater inequality between AI workers and others. Dalio noted that 60% of workers are inefficient, and this rate could increase with the rise of the AI workforce. If jobs are replaced by AI, consumers are likely to have less money to spend.

It should be noted that the economy has not yet reached this point; however, as the impact of AI on the workforce continues, it is important to consider consumption patterns.