Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says these professions will be the big winners of the generative AI boom

While concerns mount over the impact of AI on the global jobs market, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang insists workers in some professions will benefit greatly from the huge infrastructure build-out required to power the technology.

Speaking during a commencement speech for Carnegie Mellon University’s class of 2026 at the weekend, Huang said economic growth through AI won’t be limited to the technology sector.

Indeed, trade workers will be among the vanguard helping to ramp up infrastructure roll-outs across the US and around the world.

“Electricians, plumbers, iron workers, technicians, builders, this is your time,” he told students. “AI is not just creating a new computing industry, it is creating a new industrial era.”

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“AI gives America the opportunity to build again.”

Huang’s prediction of a golden era for tradespeople comes amid huge investment in the underlying infrastructure used to power AI.

Capital expenditures at a host of major tech players, including AWS, Microsoft, Meta, and Google have skyrocketed as providers look to match surging compute capacity demands.

The AI infrastructure will require significant investment over the next five years to keep pace with demand, according to 2025 research from McKinsey.

The consultancy projects data centers will require roughly $6.7 trillion in investment by 2030 to keep pace with demand for compute capacity.

Data centers designed specifically for AI processing will also require a whopping $5.2 trillion in capital expenditure.

Job market threats and opportunities

With AI infrastructure build-outs continuing at pace, research shows that demand for tradespeople is surging. Analysis from Randstad in March this year, for example, found global demand for skilled trades is growing three-times faster than professional roles.

Demand for HVAC engineers and construction workers has surged 67% and 30% respectively, the consultancy found.

Concerns over the impact of AI on “white-collar” work and entry level roles have been rising over the last two years, however.

Last year, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei suggested that AI could wipe out half of entry-level roles by the end of the decade. A March 2026 report from Anthropic also warned white-collar workers are highly exposed to AI and automation.

The study also uncovered “suggestive evidence” that hiring of younger workers has slowed in exposed occupations. That tracks with SignalFire’s 2025 State of Talent report, which pointed to a marked reduction in tech companies hiring recent college grads across 2024.

During the commencement speech, Huang touted an upbeat outlook in terms of AI’s impact on the jobs market, suggesting that the technology will ultimately deliver broad benefits.

"You are entering the world at an extraordinary moment. A new industry is being born. A new era of science and discovery is beginning. AI will accelerate the expansion of human knowledge and help solve problems once beyond our reach," he told graduates.

"No generation has entered the world with more powerful tools, or greater opportunities, than you. We are all standing at the same starting line. This is your moment to help shape what comes next. So run. Don’t walk."

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