Will Your Job Survive AI? Industries at Risk

"Will AI take my job?" I hear this all the time, especially from younger folks – those just starting out in their careers or still at university. And it got me thinking...

Let's be real, technological advancements are gonna impact everything in our workplace in one way or another. And it's happening incredibly quickly. It's both exciting and a little scary, especially when it comes to our jobs.

But, while AI's impact will be far-reaching, it won't be uniform: there will be varying degrees of disruption. The effects of AI will be felt unevenly across different sectors and job roles. Some industries will face major upheaval and deep transformations, while others will experience more subtle and nuanced shifts.

Some jobs will be automated away (think simple, repetitive tasks), others will be deeply transformed, and some are pretty safe from being completely replaced (at least in our lifetime).

Next week, we'll dive into the jobs that AI won't easily replace – those that need that special human touch.

But first, let's talk about those industries where AI's impact is likely to be most profound.

When it comes to tasks like delivery - whether it’s drivers, riders, or even drones - I think we’ll see these roles become increasingly automated and AI-driven sooner rather than later.

The technology is already advancing rapidly, and once the laws and regulations catch up to this capability, we’ll likely see a significant shift towards automation in these areas. It’s the low-hanging fruit of AI implementation, and as legal frameworks evolve, we’ll see more of these tasks handled by technology.

Let's face it, AI's language prowess is impressive. Think ChatGPT and its cousins.

I feel that, especially because of the way AI is advancing around language and data analysis in particular at the moment, jobs that are heavily reliant on language expertise, nuanced decision-making, and understanding those interactions between words and meanings are probably gonna see the biggest shifts. Because these large language models are getting so good.

AI's proficiency will revolutionise the industries that rely heavily on these skills, and while these jobs won't disappear entirely, the nature of work within them will move through a significant transformation.

Anything that revolves around creating, interpreting, or managing those written agreements between people it's gonna see a big shift. We're talking contracts and legal arguments for everything from minor disputes to major crimes...

✓ Contract review and analysis: AI can sift through vast amounts of legal documents, highlighting key clauses and potential risks, significantly speeding up the process.

✓ Legal research: AI can quickly access and analyze relevant case law and statutes, aiding lawyers in building their arguments.

✓ Document drafting: AI can generate standardised legal documents like contracts and wills, saving lawyers time on routine tasks.

But, and this is important, I guarantee you those jobs won't completely disappear. AI won't replace lawyers. What it will do is change the demand for their time. You'll likely need fewer billable hours to get the same results because AI can handle a lot of the grunt work.

The human touch remains crucial in:

👀 Strategic decision-making and negotiation: The ability to understand nuances, empathise with clients and suppliers, and navigate complex negotiations requires human judgment, experience, and emotions.

👩 Advocacy and persuasion: Representing clients in court and presenting compelling arguments demands human passion, charisma, and the ability to connect with a jury on an emotional level. We're not going to see AI juries anytime soon!

🤲 Ethical considerations and accountability: Ensuring legal practices adhere to ethical standards and holding individuals responsible for their actions remains a human responsibility.

The biggest reason why AI won't replace lawyers is accountability. People still want a human to be responsible and take accountability when things go wrong.

That's why we're hesitant about self-driving cars, right? Even if AI is technically safer, we want someone to blame if there's an accident.

• Diagnostics: AI can analyze medical images, lab results, and patient histories to help spot potential diagnoses, reducing the risk of human error.

• Treatment recommendations: AI can tap into huge medical databases to suggest personalized treatment plans based on a patient's unique situation and medical history.

• Administrative tasks: AI can streamline appointment scheduling, medical record management, and insurance claim processing, giving doctors more time to focus on their patients.

• Personalized medicine: 🧬 With AI, treatments can be tailored specifically to you based on your genetics, your environment, and all sorts of other factors.

This is going to shake things up in healthcare, for sure, but it won't make doctors obsolete. Because some things just can't be replaced by a machine 💖

The human touch is still absolutely essential in medicine:

• Building patient rapport and trust: Establishing a strong doctor-patient relationship, offering emotional support, and addressing patients' concerns - these things require human empathy and communication skills that AI simply can't replicate.

• Complex decision-making and critical care: Handling intricate medical cases, making split-second decisions in emergencies, and providing compassionate end-of-life care - these situations demand human expertise and intuition.

• The "art" of medicine: Understanding the subtle nuances of a patient's condition, interpreting their nonverbal cues, and tailoring treatment to their individual needs - this requires human perceptiveness and the ability to connect on a deeper level.

So, while AI will definitely change how doctors work, it won't replace them. It'll be more about enhancing their abilities and freeing them up to focus on what they do best: connecting with and caring for their patients. And we all know how much that sincere, heartfelt connection can actually impact our healing process.

So, we might see fewer entry-level marketing jobs, and the focus will shift more towards the psychology of marketing, truly understanding your audience and the subtle nuances of campaigns. It won't just be about making a flashy ad and hoping it sells.

I see things moving towards a stronger human focus, using AI as a tool to enhance our ability to connect with people. Marketing is still really driven by that human-to-human understanding. Data and market research are important, sure, but there's something about knowing there's a real person on the other end that just resonates with us.

Except maybe when we're buying something purely functional, where we just want the cheapest, easiest option. But for most things, we crave that human connection.

AI isn't here to replace you, but to help you get better at what only you, with your unique abilities, can do. As I've said before, AI won't take your job, but those who upskill with AI will.

The future of work? It will be humans and AI working together. That's why it's so important to stay ahead of the curve and learn to work with technology, not against it. It's all about how you choose to use it.

Think of it as a tool to boost your potential, productivity, and creativity. How can technology help you work smarter, not harder, and solve problems in new ways? As AI takes over the repetitive stuff, you will get more space. Use that to focus on what truly matters to you.

And what will make you truly valuable for any workplace, no matter what the future holds, are the qualities you cultivate within yourself:

• Keep learning and growing; make sure to upskill with AI to stay relevant
• Take full accountability and responsibility for yourself and your impact
• Build sincere connections and lead yourself with purpose
• Be open to new ideas and solutions
• Pursue a meaningful career that you love and where you're making a contribution

Want to learn more about teaming up with AI? Sign up for my upcoming free course on how to use AI tools to level up your career.

The future is full of possibility 🌱 Let's embrace it together!

I'd love to hear your thoughts! How do you see AI impacting your life or industry? Any worries or exciting possibilities? Share in your comments below - let's chat!