Dystopian AI report sinks DoorDash, software stocks

Investing.com -- DoorDash shares fell 7% on Monday, while Uber dropped 3%, Salesforce declined 4%, MongoDB slid 6%, and ServiceNow lost 4%, following publication of a dystopian scenario analysis from Citirini Research examining potential risks from rapid AI advancement. Visa and Mastercard also declined, falling over 2%.

The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) dropped 3.6% as the report circulated among investors.

The Citirini Research report, written from a hypothetical June 2028 perspective, outlined a scenario in which accelerating AI capabilities trigger widespread white-collar job displacement, leading to what it termed a "Global Intelligence Crisis." The analysis, explicitly labeled as a scenario rather than a prediction, explored potential economic disruption if AI adoption continues at its current pace.

The report detailed a hypothetical sequence beginning in late 2025, when agentic coding tools would enable developers to replicate mid-market SaaS products in weeks, pressuring enterprise software pricing and renewal rates. It projected ServiceNow reporting 14% net new ACV growth in the third quarter of 2026, down from 23%, alongside a 15% workforce reduction.

The scenario extended to consumer-facing platforms, suggesting AI agents could eliminate friction-based business models by continuously optimizing purchases, travel bookings, and insurance renewals. DoorDash was cited as particularly vulnerable, with the report suggesting habitual app loyalty would disappear as AI agents comparison-shop across multiple platforms for each transaction.

The analysis projected a hypothetical unemployment rate of 10.2% by June 2028, with white-collar job losses concentrated among workers who drive disproportionate consumer spending. It outlined potential cascading effects through private credit markets, particularly PE-backed software deals, and raised questions about mortgage underwriting assumptions in a scenario where borrower income expectations shift structurally.

Citirini Research emphasized the piece was written to explore an underexplored left-tail risk scenario as AI reshapes the economy.

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