What Comes After Full-Time? Governments, AI, and the Redefinition of Work
Editorial | New Stardom
Photo by charlesdeluvio
In recent weeks, a series of developments from governments, corporations, and digital platforms has highlighted the growing lack of consensus around what constitutes work today, and who qualifies as a worker. Artificial intelligence systems, such as those introduced by Anthropic and other firms, are now capable of performing complex tasks for hours at a time without human supervision, signaling a shift in how labor is defined and distributed.
At the same time, companies across sectors are consolidating operations and reducing headcount in response to economic pressures and technological change, often without a clear indication of what roles will replace those being eliminated. Lawmakers in several countries are responding by introducing legislation aimed at tightening the legal definitions of employment, including new restrictions on flexible contracts and freelance classifications.
Meanwhile, a growing share of individuals are turning to digital platforms as a source of income, operating in spaces that are increasingly central to the economy but still fall outside most regulatory frameworks. While these changes are taking place simultaneously, they are largely uncoordinated, reflecting broader uncertainty about how work will be structured in the years ahead.
AI Can Now Work a Full Day. So What Happens to Ours?
Anthropic’s newest model, Claude Opus 4, was introduced with the ability to run independently for nearly seven hours. It can complete tasks, assess goals, and make decisions based on previous performance data without further prompts.
This kind of autonomy is still limited in scope, but it’s another proof in how AI can pass us over. Rather than relying on prompts to complete individual tasks, users can now assign broader objectives. Claude performs the kind of work that companies increasingly say takes up a significant portion of their employees’ time: repetitive, necessary, and not particularly rewarding.
The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs report projects that by the end of this decade, only one-third of all work will be performed exclusively by human labor. Most tasks will either be automated or completed in collaboration with machines. In an effort to streamline operations and cut costs amid rising interest rates, shifting trade policies, and rapid advances in workplace technology, employers are reevaluating staffing, structure, and long-term investment strategies. At the same time, global investment in generative AI is accelerating, and companies are restructuring to focus on digital productivity.
The Netherlands Tries to Redefine ‘Real’ Employment
While AI systems become more capable, governments are attempting to clarify the boundaries of employment itself.
The Dutch government is moving forward with legislation that would prohibit zero-hour contracts and close longstanding loopholes around so-called bogus self-employment. These changes aim to ensure that workers have access to stable contracts, benefits, and basic protections, especially in sectors where flexibility has come at the expense of security.
These legal changes are happening as more people choose income paths that operate outside standard definitions. In a recent interview, YouTube’s CEO described content creation as a primary aspiration for younger generations. Many already earn a living through ad revenue, sponsorships, and audience-based monetization tools that are detached from any formal employer.
In this environment, policies designed to clarify employment may run alongside a separate shift toward forms of work that remain outside those definitions entirely.
Retirement Is Delayed, But Full-Time Jobs Are Disappearing
Some governments are also extending timelines. Denmark recently passed legislation to raise the state retirement age to 70 by 2040, the highest threshold in Europe. The International Monetary Fund has encouraged similar action, noting that people in their seventies today are, on average, healthier and more cognitively capable than prior generations at the same age.
These changes are designed to help balance public budgets and address the growing financial pressure of aging populations. But they come at a time when full-time employment is becoming harder to secure. Companies are reducing layers of management, consolidating functions, and replacing routine work with software.
While governments encourage longer working lives, many older professionals describe an opposite reality: job availability is shrinking, particularly for roles that offer consistency, benefits, or long-term planning.
Platforms, Not Employers, Are Becoming the Gatekeepers
Job growth is strongest in fields that are not structured around conventional employment.
According to ZipRecruiter, postings for AI-related jobs increased by 124 percent between 2023 and the end of 2024. Independent creators and consultants are gaining visibility on platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok. These income streams often lack stability, but they continue to attract new entrants across age groups and professional backgrounds.
Many firms are adapting as well. Consulting firms report rising demand for roles that support AI infrastructure or digital content ecosystems. Companies now hire contractors and freelancers with niche skills. These arrangements prioritize flexibility and specialization, not job security.
Efforts to stabilize the labor market are happening alongside structural changes that make it more fragmented. New legislation aims to protect workers. At the same time, AI systems are redefining productivity, and millions are seeking alternative income routes on their own.
This is a fragmented reaction to overlapping pressures: demographic shifts, technological disruption, inflation, and evolving work expectations.
There may not be a single answer to what replaces full-time work. But there’s a growing recognition that “normal jobs” may no longer be the baseline.
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