….and what careers AI IS targeting and changes you can make now.

MYTH: “I’ve spent my life becoming highly skilled and I’m at the top of my game; I’ll be hard to replace.”

REALITY: Soon, much of the content knowledge you have can be replaced by AI bots. Flexibility means being open to learning new skills and technologies. Lifelong learning is more important than ever. Nobody is exempt.

Develop a range of skills peripheral to your core skillset, that you can use in different roles in your industry.

Develop skills that require human creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence, such as leadership, problem-solving, and communication.  Authenticity, empathy and self-awareness are future skills, develop these and teach others. You might need to take course, they often don’t come naturally.

MYTH “If I don’t think about AI it won’t impact me.”

REALITY: Don’t avoid thinking about AI believing that if you avoid it, it will avoid you. Keep up with AI and how your profession can use it. If you can master using AI to increase your proficiency, you’ll still be in demand.

MYTH: “If I keep my head down I won’t be targeted for replacement. Besides, I’m a one-person show.”

REALITY: Develop stronger relationships with colleagues, clients, and other professionals. Collaboration is the future.

Check your job/profession for a summary of actions to take now:

• Accounting - Because AI struggles to understand mathematical processes and makes up data to cover up mistakes, you’ll be needed to oversee the system. For that, you’ll need to understand it :). Focus on financial analysis and strategic consulting, or specialize in managing AI-driven accounting systems, digital banking solutions and cybersecurity. AI software is more efficient than humans at managing financial and administrative records so bookkeeping is replaceable. Data entry is phased out but data scientists will be in demand. Take a course in data analysis.

• Agriculture: Automated machines can monitor and manage crops more efficiently than humans, replacing agricultural jobs. In any area of agriculture, digital literacy is key. Invest in training programs to make sure that audit, credit review, and appraisal workers are digitally literate and can effectively use new technologies. Increase focus on a customer-centric culture to understand the evolving needs of farmers and agribusinesses. Improve customer experiences  by creating user-friendly digital platforms. Foster collaborations with agri-tech startups, research institutions, and government agencies. Partnerships give you access to tech insights that will help with risk assessment and credit appraisal.

• Assembly Line: Robots perform repetitive assembly line tasks faster and more consistently than humans. Workers should take courses in robotics maintenance and programming, quality control, or logistics management.

• Customer Service: AI-chatbots handle routine customer interactions, so take courses to prepare you to handle difficult and complex interactions with empathy. Customer success managers and relationship managers will be in demand; and start to study how you can increase your customer’s success.

• Digital marketing: Human touch is needed for creative content development and strategy, even though AI can automate some aspects of digital marketing, such as data analysis and advertising optimization.

• Drivers/transportation: Self-driving cars and delivery drones will replace jobs in transportation and logistics. Drivers should learn to be fleet managers and logistics coordinators and learn to maintain autonomous vehicle technologies.

• Healthcare: AI is less likely to replace jobs in healthcare, such as nursing and physical therapy, although psychologists jobs are on the block. :( Jobs that require empathy, social interaction, and complex decision-making, can’t be replaced by AI - yet. But other professional are more replaceable such as Radiologists, who should focus on complex cases and patient consultations or begin to specialize in interventional radiology and minimally invasive procedures.

• Legal: AI gathers information and conducts legal analyses. Paralegals should focus on case strategy development and client communication, or specialize in areas where human judgment and interpretation are needed.

• Librarians can curate digital collections, give higher-level research guidance, or specialize in information management and data organization.

• Market research analysts can re-focus on consumer behavior analysis, computing and information sciences, competitive intelligence, or strategic planning.

• Telemarketers will be phased out but development of customer relationship strategies and sales strategies or high-end customer service careers will be kept.

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• Environmental science: Companies and governments both predict job growth in environmental science. Fields such as renewable energy and waste management will grow.

• Cybersecurity: Professionals with skills in data security, encryption, and threat intelligence will be in demand pretty much until singularity.

Remember, it’s never too late, you’re never too old, and nothing is possible. Adapt, learn and grow- you’ll stay young forever.