Which Roles Will Thrive in the Era of AI?

I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit, and I believe the following professions will not be displaced by AI; every other profession will be impacted or displaced:

Last week, I saw the new releases from Google, including Gemini, and OpenAI's GPT-4.0. Their systems are becoming near lifelike in terms of seeing, hearing, thinking, and conversing in a human-like way (so much so, ScarJo has expressed her concerns). It's wild to think that the GenAI industry is just about 18 months old since GPT stunned the world —and it’s already growing so quickly.

Which Roles Will Thrive in the Era of AI:

AI builder: I mean this is obvious, be the programmer, founder, corporate leader, or investor that’s building AI.

Trades*: Skilled manual work requires hands-on expertise and adaptability. Examples include electricians, plumbers, and carpenters who perform complex tasks in variable environments.

Leaders: Human intuition and decision-making in complex scenarios remain essential. Think of CEOs, military commanders, and nonprofit directors who guide teams through uncertainty.

Teachers: The human touch in education is crucial for effective learning and emotional support. Elementary school teachers and university professors shape minds and nurture potential.

Politicians: Navigating human emotions and societal complexities is beyond AI’s reach. Elected officials and diplomats manage intricate political landscapes.

Entrepreneurs: Innovation and risk-taking are inherently human traits. Entrepreneurs drive new ventures with vision and courage.

Performance Arts: Creative expression and live interaction cannot be replicated by AI. Actors, musicians, and dancers bring stories and emotions to life in ways machines cannot.

High-touch Healthcare: Patient care and empathy are irreplaceable aspects of medical professions. Surgeons, nurses, and therapists provide critical care and support.

High-end Personal Services: Personalized services like concierge, therapists, beauty, fitness coaches, sales, IRL customer care, account reps, wealth managers, wait staff, etc., demand human interaction.

Event/Community Organizers: Managing and understanding community dynamics needs a human touch. Event planners and community managers create memorable experiences and foster connections.

Craftsmen and Innovative Artists: Unique artistry and craftsmanship require a level of creativity AI cannot achieve. Examples include bespoke furniture makers, glassblowers, and sculptors.

Cutting-edge Inventors, Scientists: Pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation requires human curiosity and ingenuity. Researchers in fields like quantum computing and genetic engineering lead the way.

*Trades will be impacted as homeowners will adopt AI and AR to solve basic problems. I suspect a large segment of the population will rush to get trades jobs which will reduce the wages of trades workers unless they strengthen labor laws. Obviously trades workers and their managers will use AI to be more productive too.

As a parent, I've been thinking about what avenues are most open to children, and how most schooling systems aren't even prepared for the exponential changes that are coming from the AI space. Even though I live in Silicon Valley, I'm not confident the parents and schools here are preparing their kids for what's to come.

AI Disclosure: I wrote these ideas by myself see tweet then used GPT-4o to augment and improve it, like a co-author. GPT, whether I like it or not, is trained off my blog which has over 2000 blog posts and I ask it to replicate my voice.