[Economist Warns Corporate AI Adoption Nearing 'Cortez Moment,' Potentially Reshaping the Labor Market] Deep Tide TechFlow News, March 4th, according to Fortune, Moody's Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi has warned that U.S. companies are approaching a 'Cortez Moment' in the field of AI—an irreversible point of commitment, analogous to the historical event in 1519 when Spanish conquistadors burned their ships, leaving no retreat and forcing them to move forward. Zandi pointed out that although current data does not yet show productivity gains from AI, companies have made irreversible commitments through significant investments and structural adjustments, which could rapidly reshape the U.S. labor market. Fintech company Block recently announced a 40% layoff, sparking Zandi's concern that other companies might follow suit. Currently, job openings in tech positions are decreasing, overall hiring is sluggish, and the layoff rate has reached its highest level since 2009. Zandi predicts four possible future scenarios, with the most likely being a steady expansion driven by AI-induced productivity growth. However, he also warned that the healthcare industry is currently the last buffer in the job market.