The U.S. Labor Market and Its AI Problem

The U.S. Labor Market and Its AI Problem

TLDR: February 2026 nonfarm payrolls fell by 92,000 jobs, far worse than expected, marking the third monthly loss in five months. Hiring is down 20% versus the 2019 baseline, average unemployment duration has stretched to 7 months, and the much-promised AI productivity boom is conspicuously absent outside a narrow band of roles.

The U.S. Labor Market and its AI problem