AI Can Do Your Job. It Just Can’t Be You.

Ok, so maybe AI can't do your job right now, but my point is: so what? Don't let fear cloud your vision of your worth.

Original meme from cartoonist Genildo Ronchi

There are two sharply divided sides to the jobs debate with AI: either you believe AI will complement people but won’t fully replace jobs, or you believe AI will become better at those roles and ultimately replace jobs.

On camp firmly sees how AI works today, and the other looks ahead.

Just twelve months ago, this division may have been about whether AI can write like a person. It can. That doesn’t mean that’s the best or most ethical use, but still, it can. How well it writes depends on prompting and customization.

Time to Impact

A big part of my business is delivering corporate workshops. I’ll spare you the commercial, but to set the scene, these are privately booked events by organizations wanting to train staff, align their teams, and establish clear guidelines for ethical use across the business.

During one of these recent talks, this “AI job replacement” division punched me in the gut.

Standing at the front of a room with 30 to 40 senior leaders and key staff, I shared a quote from Ethan Mollick about AI being better at certain tasks.

“AI is better than a lot of people in a lot of jobs, but not at their whole job.”
- Ethan Mollick, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and AI Professor, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

This lit a fuse.

Sharp discussions between executives led to an impassioned debate between the CEO and the COO on everything from the future of work to the future of their business and, ultimately, their people.

One thing stood out during this exchange: beliefs on the time to impact.

The crucial question isn’t whether it will or won’t, but people in their beliefs don’t connect on the “when”. No one can predict timing, BUT these conversations typically start with one side focused on the present capabilities, while the other side looks at where it’s going.

When an asteroid is coming toward Earth, you sort of know (hopefully) when it will hit. With AI, you don’t. You can only see its rapid pace. And when you’re in a leadership role, you constantly look ahead, trying to anticipate change. Will you try to slow or avert the coming impact, or will you adopt a strategy to survive it?

What if They’re Right?

Future-looking thinkers have it right. You can’t be so stuck in the here and now on this. And you don’t need to believe AI will replace lots of jobs.

Yes, you need to do what’s best for you today. Yes, you need to figure out how to make your role valuable. But you also need to consider your personal value beyond the job you have today.

I believe in healthy skepticism. It’s totally normal to roll your eyes when a tech CEO says their AI product will replace 50% of entry-level white-collar workers in a few years. Those statements play well across earned media.

Be skeptical, but don’t bury your head in the sand.

What if they’re right?

Shaun Randol, founder of Mixternal Comms Playbook, posed this question on LinkedIn a few weeks back.

Would you do anything differently? Would you prepare for impact or just enjoy the shade?

Time to Reassess

When I experienced a layoff, I realized how much of my identity was tied to my job. It sucked. I went through a period of mourning my “old self” before realizing my value outside of a job.

It’s not the job that makes you.

The time to reassess what’s important to you (I mean REALLY important) is now, not tomorrow or next week. Stop working for 5 minutes. Close your eyes and reflect on things you enjoy.

What makes you happy? Find ways to enable more of those opportunities.

Being career-driven is a hard place to get unstuck from. It takes time and practice. If you don’t figure it out now, you’ll be forced to later.

Your Opportunity

This shift is an invitation to rethink what makes your work valuable. To rediscover your strengths beyond a job title. And to align your skills with what truly matters to you.

You don’t have to predict the future to prepare for it. You just need to be open. Curious. Willing to adapt.

The people who thrive won’t be the ones who know the most tools. They’ll be the ones who stay grounded in their values, lead with purpose, and keep learning one step at a time.

So ask yourself: What do I want to build? Who do I want to become?

This shouldn’t be about losing a job. It’s about finding your edge.

The future of work should be one filled with purpose and value for YOU.

And that’s a future worth looking forward to.