The "tragedy of the cognitive commons" explains how rational AI adoption could destroy entire professions' expertise

A new research paper identifies a tragedy of the cognitive commons in the workforce, where companies individually benefit by replacing entry-level roles with AI. While these cost-saving measures appear rational for firms today, the collective trend threatens to deplete the pipeline of skilled senior professionals over the coming decades. This could eventually hollow out deep-seated expertise across entire industries, with the full impact on professional competency likely manifesting between 2030 and 2045.