👉 Jobs AI Can't Steal (Yet)
✅ AI Isn’t Playing the Same Career Game as You
Summary: This week I’m talking about which jobs (if any) are really future-proof — and why the future of work looks less like a ladder and more like a circle. Most of us are stuck inside it, while a lucky few stand outside. I’m also sharing what it might take to even the playing field in a world run by robots.
A friend said something to me the other day and it has really stuck in my brain. He anticipates the future of AI in a simple terms: You are either above or below the technology.
Meaning there will be some humans telling the robots what to do, while others will be replaced by them. He is hopeful his kids will be smart and accomplished enough to be above the AI.
“Be the one above the robots,” we are telling kids.
“Learn to code. Learn to lead. Be the architect, not the laborer.”
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: AI doesn't respect hierarchies.
The robots aren’t just coming for the factory line. They're coming for the middle managers and the upper managers. They’re after the consultants, the marketers, and the coders. Even the people “above” the robots will realize they’re still standing on the ground floor.
The Future Isn’t a Ladder
For most of human history, we’ve loved this idea of above vs below — bosses and workers, kings and peasants, upper class and lower class. Life is basically a ladder we have to climb to succeed.
But AI doesn’t really care about your position on the ladder. Why? The robots don’t see a ladder. They see a flat landscape of tasks — and if a task can be learned, it can be automated.
AI sees tasks, not status.
AI sees processes, not people.
AI isn’t trying to climb over you. It just does.
Which got me thinking: maybe the real shape of the future isn’t vertical at all.
Maybe it’s more like a circle of insiders and outsiders. And most of us are inside that circle, stuck to face the coming AI.
Are There Any AI-Proof Jobs?
First, let me tackle the obvious—does this apply to every job? Are any careers that are separate from that circle? Any that can escape the AI conundrum?
Artists? (AI art is already in galleries and selling on Etsy)
Therapists? (AI is providing mental health scripts and bots for loneliness)
Coaches? (AI as personal guides or trainers who never sleep or raise their rates)
CEOs? (Automated decision-making, real-time financial analysis, predictive modeling)
Sex work? (AI girlfriends, robots, VR experiences are already competition)
Teachers? (AI tutors, personalized learning plans, 24/7 homework help)
Customer Service? (AI chatbots already answering faster — and nicer (HA!) — than humans)
Writers? (AI generating blogs, articles, ad copy in seconds — and most writing them good enough)
Lawyers? (AI doing contract review, case research, and even generating legal arguments)
Doctors? (AI diagnosing faster from scans, data, symptoms — and yet you ad I are still charged the same ridiculous medical fee)
Financial Advisors? (AI portfolio management)
Musicians? (AI creating royalty-free background music at scale)
Models? (AI-generated faces that never age, complain, or need lighting adjustments)
Journalists? (AI summarizing earnings calls, sports recaps, breaking news faster than any intern)
Museum curators? (AI generating exhibit labels, virtual tours, and entire museum experiences without the need for paid humans)
Coders? (AI writing code, debugging, building entire websites from a text prompt)
Architects? (AI generating building plans, design variations, and 3D models in seconds)
Recruiters? (AI scanning resumes, matching candidates, sending interview invites — no small talk required)
Pharmacists? (AI calculating doses, checking for interactions, automating refills)
Realtors? (AI property valuations, virtual tours, chatbots answering buyer questions at 2am — plus AI can write a way nicer listing description)
Commercial Developers? (AI predicting traffic patterns, consumer behavior, optimal store placement — before the land is even cleared)
The robots are coming for the conference rooms, the corner offices, and yes... even the celebrity actors! Even the most "human" jobs are vulnerable — we’re all inside that circle.
If you have not yet thought about your long-term job prospects, the uncomfortable question you need to ask yourself is this: Does my job exist because it’s deeply human… or because it’s been too expensive to automate?
Because that’s the line AI is erasing right now.
The Real Divide Isn’t Above or Below — It’s Inside or Outside
So here’s my current working circle theory, subject to change the next time somebody else gives me a good analogy!
Inside the Circle = 👋 Hi, It’s You and Me!
Being inside the circle means we are subject to the whims of AI. This is where your job involves robots or automation… or will if it doesn’t yet.
You log onto platforms.
You use the apps.
You are controlled by the algorithms.
The system is built for maximum efficiency, profit, and control.
Inside the circle is automated and optimized and you just might be replaced by a robot.
But even if you are not replaced by AI, and instead manage AI (aka you are “above” the tech), you are still inside the circle:
You don’t own the tools.
You don’t own the data.
You are renting your career and completing your tasks using someone else’s platform.
This is where most of us will live. Even the coders. Even the creatives. Even the middle and upper managers who think their job is safe because "humans need to make the final decision." (Spoiler: For now!)
The robots don’t care how many degrees you have, how good your marketing plan is, or how many businesses you’ve owned, because as always, the real truth is if you don’t own the AI, you are subject to the AI.
Outside the Circle = The Owners (aka Billionaires)
Now I am not a fan of discussing class warfare, but it is the billionaires who are sitting outside the circle. They own the companies, and systems that control the AI.
→ The data.
→ The platforms.
→ The distribution.
→ The power.
Flashpoint: they don’t care if AI replaces jobs — in fact, that’s kind of the point: efficiency equals cost-savings for a better bottom line.
If you're standing outside the circle, you're not worried about being replaced by a robot. You're the one selling and controlling the robots.
How Do You and I Get Out of the Circle?
I believe it is safe to say that most of my readers will never become billionaires. Only a few will become multi mega-millionaires. So where does that leave us? Well, ChatGPT helped me think of a few ways to level the playing field a little, even if you and I can never fully escape the circle.
1. Own Your Data
Right now, we give our data away like hotcakes. But your data is currency in the AI economy.
Ways to start owning it:
→ Use privacy-first tools (Brave browser, Proton mail, ad blockers).
→ Limit the data trail you leave behind.
→ Pay for products that don’t sell you as the product.
In the future, personal data vaults will be a thing. (There's a business idea for your coders!) Early adopters will benefit.
2. Build Your Own Audience (Outside the Algorithms)
Thinking back to my FLBlogCon days, a good reminder is that social media is rented land.
If your entire business or brand lives on Instagram or TikTok — the robots can (and will) move the goalposts whenever they want. Eve your website might be subject to SEO and Google’s algorithm.
Real ownership looks like:
→ Email lists
→ Text lists
→ Community platforms you own (like Ning or Mighty Networks)
→ Direct customer relationships
AI will always control the algorithm, which controls the access to your audience. Instead, own your access to the people who want to hear from you.
3. Create Real-World Networks AI Can’t Replicate
This is the human superpower: relationships.
AI can write your newsletter, but it can’t show up at your kid’s soccer game. It can’t help your neighbor move a couch, or even introduce you to the perfect collaborator over drinks.
Invest in:
→ Local community
→ Industry friends
→ Cross-discipline allies
→ People who actually know you IRL
This is the stuff no robot can steal.
4. Invest in the AI Infrastructure Itself
If you are into making investments, buy ownership in the platforms — but also the vital tech parts of those platforms:
→ Invest in AI companies, platforms, or funds focused on emerging tech.
→ Get stock, shares, or stakes in the places that benefit every time someone uses AI.
→ Chip manufacturers (NVIDIA, AMD)
→ Cloud computing giants (Amazon, Microsoft, Google)
→ AI energy solutions (data centers use insane power)
→ Companies building ethical AI tools or privacy tech
Owning the tools that power the tools? That’s long-game energy.
I know, this is boring investing advice—that I am in no way qualified to give!— but it seems to be a reasonable suggestion.
5. Be YOU!
Authenticity is our second superpower.
Become someone so human, so wildly creative, so relationship-driven that people want to work with you even when there’s a robot doing it cheaper.
A relationship-driven job is exactly the category of work that might survive longest outside the robot takeover… but only if the relationship really matters.
AI can do tasks. It can even fake connection. But trust — built over time— is hard to replicate.
ChatGPT helped me brainstorm a list of the types of relationship-driven jobs that might be future-proof for this reason:
High-Trust Sales
→ Real estate agents (especially luxury or complicated deals)
→ High-end financial advisors
→ Insurance agents (for big policies, legacy planning)
→ Luxury goods sales (art, jewelry, wine, watches)
→ Fundraisers and development officers
→ Business-to-business sales for high-ticket or custom solutions
People don’t just want a deal — they want someone they trust to tell them if it’s dumb.
Money Management + Advisory
→ Financial planners
→ Wealth managers
→ Estate planners
→ Family office advisors
→ Tax strategists for complicated portfolios
→ Business consultants (especially in crisis or strategy)
AI can manage a portfolio. It can’t talk a nervous millionaire off the ledge during a market crash.
Personal Service + Experience Jobs
→ Wedding planners
→ Luxury travel agents
→ Private chefs
→ Interior designers
→ Stylist or personal shoppers
→ Event coordinators
→ Talent agents
→ Matchmakers
These are trust-first industries. AI can give suggestions — but people pay for taste, vibe, and emotional labor.
Health, Wellness & Personal Care
→ Private trainers
→ Therapists and coaches (for now)
→ Concierge doctors
→ Health advocates
→ Doula & birth workers
→ End-of-life consultants
AI might write your workout plan — but it can’t look you in the eye and say: "I know you, you’ve done harder things than this."
Connector Jobs
→ Recruiters (real headhunters, not just resume scanners)
→ PR agents
→ Lobbyists
→ Community managers
→ High-level executive assistants
→ Fixers (the Olivia Popes of the world)
Relationships are their product.
Disclosure: This week’s post is all mine except where ChatGPT is noted above, so excuse the typos.
Figuring This Out Together!
I believe we are stronger together, and that’s why I am sharing my business experience and exploring what’s next for humans in a world where robots can do all of our jobs quicker, cheaper, and, most likely, better.
Most likely, you and I are stuck in this circle for the foreseeable future, but do not lose hope because we are not helpless. Be flexible, be willing to learn and make adjustments, and always keep an eye out for opportunity, my human friends.