According to an article by Sherin Shibu published on Entrepreneur.com on April 7, 2025, a recent Pew Research survey identified professions highly susceptible to automation as most likely to experience job losses due to AI in the next two decades:
- Cashiers: 73% of both AI experts and the general public predict fewer jobs.
- Journalists: Nearly 60% of both groups foresee job reductions.
- Factory Workers: 60% of experts and 67% of the public anticipate AI replacing these roles.
The survey (polling over 1,000 AI experts and 5,400 U.S. adults in late 2024, released March 2025) also showed AI experts are more optimistic about AI’s overall impact than the general public.
However, contrasting these automation trends, Geoff Colvin, in his book “Humans Are Underrated: What High Achievers Know That Brilliant Machines Never Will,” argues that uniquely human skills will become more critical in the age of AI. Colvin emphasizes that high value in the future workplace will derive from abilities machines cannot easily replicate, focusing on concepts such as:
- Empathy: Deeply understanding and relating to the emotions of others.
- Social Sensitivity & Relationship Building: Navigating complex social interactions and fostering trust.
- Storytelling: Communicating compelling narratives that connect emotionally and contextually.
- Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively and creatively with other humans.
This perspective aligns with the Pew survey finding that professions demanding high degrees of these interpersonal skills – such as mental health therapists, lawyers, teachers, musicians, and medical doctors – were viewed by both experts and the public as significantly less likely to face job displacement from AI in the near future.
While AI may automate routine tasks, Colvin’s work suggests the skills central to human interaction will remain essential and highly valued.
Where to Learn More:
- The job displacement findings are detailed in a Pew Research survey report (March 2025).
- The summary context comes from the article “These 3 Professions Are Most Likely to Vanish in the Next 20 Years Due to AI, According to a New Report” by Sherin Shibu on Entrepreneur.com (published April 7, 2025).
- AI impact predictions cited include reports by Goldman Sachs (2023) and McKinsey (2023).
- The concepts regarding essential human skills are explored in Geoff Colvin’s book “Humans Are Underrated: What High Achievers Know That Brilliant Machines Never Will.”
Win The Day!
