A new MIT study using a large-scale labor simulation finds current AI systems can technically and economically perform tasks equivalent to about 11.7% of U.S. jobs — roughly $1.2 trillion in wages. The analysis maps AI capabilities across 32,000 skills and 923 job types, and flags especially high exposure in cognitive, administrative and knowledge‑work roles. Researchers caution the figure measures technical feasibility and cost parity, not an immediate forecast of job loss, but they note adoption could accelerate in sectors that already use AI for coding and data work. For universities, the report has implications for workforce planning, curricular priorities and the demand for reskilling programs: academic leaders should reassess program portfolios and career services to reflect faster labor market shifts. (Source: MIT Project Iceberg collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.)