Jobs You Think are Safe from AI but Aren’t

Part One

I’ve been browsing for a while now about jobs at risk of being taken over by AI. Not because I’m a sado-masochist (excuse me, my therapist frequently assures me I’m not). But because I want to see if the list changes as AI becomes more powerful. You know, it was only this time two years ago we were debunking the notion that AI could ‘create’ stories on demand, for example. Now, every new iteration of Generative AI seems to be a hundred times quicker and more intuitive than the last. Okay, so that’s my job flushed down the loo. But lest I appear too selfish allow me to burst your bubble, too, as I take you through part one of careers deemed safe from the lengthening shadow of AI across the job market. But aren’t. Because I looked at the new list. And you’re on it.

HR

Actually, I know a few people who work in some large corporations who are hoping AI takes over HR quicker, rather than later! Anyone who thinks, reinforced no doubt by many ‘safe from AI’ articles, that compassion, empathy and optimism can never be duplicated by AI is barking up the wrong tree (is there a right tree to bark up?).  

KPIs are now almost all numerical, from the top down. There’s no more room for sentiment. HR will become so efficient if replaced by AI, it’ll win Department of the Month Award in perpetuity. I’d like to see the day when an AI-driven HR department conspires to have the AI-driven Financial Director relieved of its duties. Some of you still may be confused that words such as compassion, empathy and optimism can co-exist in the same sentence as HR. If you are one of those, I suggest you stop reading this immediately and get on with your job. Not that you’ll keep it for long  anyway.

When it comes to recruitment, there is a valid argument that choosing candidates for a position cannot be handed over to AI. But even that argument is invalidated by zeitgeist, whether you like it or not. Surely HR’s job is find numerous candidates for a position, not make the choice themselves? Jeepers, it just gets worse and worse, doesn’t it? This riddle is becoming like a snake eating its own tail.

CEO

According to one particular site, a CEO is a person who must make strategic business decisions based on self-reflection. Well, sorry to appear as some sort of economics nihilist. But 99% of all CEO’s from small to medium to large businesses are making decisions right now on who in his or her company thinks they’re still useful, but aren’t, and should be replaced by AI. Loyal old Abdul, who’s worked in the accounts department since before the CEO was born and has helped hundreds of newbies in the company find their feet over the years? Sorry buddy. AI tells me you’re about to hit 50. While we’re at it, let’s just adios the accounts department, too. Let me just speak to Irene in HR to do the needful. What? No HR department?

Just how long do think it’s going to take before AI catches on to the fact that many, many CEO’s are leaning so heavily on data that their own jobs are redundant?

I agree with you if you’re thinking that every company needs a leader. A commanding presence that’s trusted by all for his or her wisdom, intuition, strength of character and conviction of purpose. Forgive me for the cynicism, but that species is pretty much extinct, isn’t it?

Yes, that’s why they only belong in yesterday’s business structure.

AI wrote that last sentence, by the way.

IT GUY

The same site also claimed there’s always going to be a need for someone to look after the machinery that facilitates AI. You know, that guy who’s always so damned nice on the phone when you call him because you’ve forgotten how to share your screen on Teams.  But somehow, he always ends up reminding you that you’re an oxygen thief. Anyway, he’s gone too. The diagnostics equipment today, probably invented by the same people who are going to lose their jobs because of it, will operate 3.5 billion times quicker than their obsolete human counterparts. And they won’t make you appear like a nonce when you need them.

Hang on, you won’t be there anyway.

As much as I imagine you’re enjoying this article, I need to bring it to a close. You see, I have to feed it into an AI system. It will penalise me if it’s too long. Then it that will guide me on how to shorten actual sentences. Apparently Millennials and GenZ’s nod off after 20 words.

Please look out for the next in the series as I red-flag the future career prospects of, well, wait and see.

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