Most people won’t realize that AI is quietly taking over their jobs – why you still shouldn’t be scared

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve at a remarkable pace, the job market is on the brink of a significant transformation over the next years. According to studies by PwC, McKinsey, and the World Economic Forum, by 2030, up to 60% of current jobs will require substantial adaptation as AI and automation become deeply woven into everyday workplaces (Yee et al., 2025). Below are several business roles that your “friendly neighborhood AI” is already preparing to replace.

Jobs that are disappearing

On the side of roles likely to disappear or change dramatically, personal assistants and secretaries may find themselves replaced by AI agents that can handle scheduling and administrative tasks more efficiently. A study by the Institute for Public Policy Research notes that about 60% of administrative tasks, like bookkeeping, financial modeling, and even basic data analysis, are highly automatable. AI platforms like enhanced Bloomberg terminals already crunch numbers and generate reports faster than humans, and JP Morgan planning to automate 20% of analytical roles by 2030.

Similarly, paralegal tasks like contract drafting and legal research are under threat, as AI tools such as Harvey and CoCounsel can analyze documents with around 90% accuracy already, according to a 2025 Stanford study.

Jobs in the creative fields are also evolving. Graphic design, basic journalism, and copywriting face disruption from AI platforms like DALL-E and GPT-derived tools that produce content at scale. In fact, a 2024 Pew Research Center report notes that about 30% of media jobs could be automated by 2035.

Emerging new roles

On the other hand, entirely new roles will emerge. AI Managers, who oversee and train AI systems, will become essential. AI Ethicists will ensure that these systems are used responsibly, and AI integration specialists will help organizations incorporate AI into their workflows. Even in the software and data science fields, while AI will automate routine coding tasks, it will also boost productivity and create roles that focus on more complex problem-solving. According to the World Economic Forum, around 40% of programming tasks could be automated by 2040.

Meanwhile, teaching is one field where AI's impact is more nuanced. While certain repetitive teaching tasks could be handled by AI, high-level mentoring and emotionally intelligent teaching roles remain largely irreplaceable. A 2024 OECD report suggests that only about 10% of teaching tasks may be automated by 2040, particularly in roles that require human empathy and adaptability.

While AI will undoubtedly phase out certain jobs, it will also pave the way for new careers. AI Managers, Ethicists, and AI Integration Specialists will become integral in guiding how these technologies fit into our work lives. This evolution is not just about machines taking over but about humans transitioning into roles that guide and collaborate with AI, shaping a future where technology and human expertise go hand in hand (Kelly, 2025).

We have been there before

If today’s fears about AI sound familiar, that is because we have been here before. In 1938, with unemployment in the United States hovering around 20% and the scars of the Great Depression still fresh, MIT President Karl Compton addressed what he called the “bogey of technological unemployment.” Machines, he asked, were they helpful genies emerging from science to serve human needs, or Frankenstein monsters destined to destroy the very workers who created them?

Compton rejected both extremes. From an economic perspective, he argued, technology had always created more jobs than it destroyed by lowering costs, expanding markets, and giving rise to entirely new industries. Yet he was equally clear-eyed about the human cost. For individuals, families, and entire towns whose skills had suddenly become obsolete, technological progress could be devastating in the short run.

That tension has never gone away. It resurfaced in the 1960s when Nobel Prize–winning economist Robert Solow calmly dismissed fears of automation-driven mass unemployment, only to acknowledge that specific professions could still be wiped out overnight (Rotman, 2024).

What history suggests is not that fears of technological unemployment are irrational, but that they are often misdirected. The real question is not whether AI will eliminate work altogether – it almost certainly will not – but whether organizations choose to use it to replace humans or to expand what humans can do.

What humans can do to remain relevant

To thrive in this evolving landscape, humans will need to adapt and stay relevant by embracing a mindset of continuous learning. First and foremost, becoming aware of the new reality of AI is essential. This means understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI tools and how they can complement human work rather than simply replace it.

In addition, individuals should focus on evolving their skill sets toward areas that AI struggles to replicate, such as emotional intelligence, ethical reasoning, and creative thinking. By leaning into these human-centric skills, people can position themselves in roles that AI cannot easily fill. Moreover, it’s beneficial to become comfortable with AI tools themselves, learning how to work alongside these technologies can turn AI from a perceived threat into a valuable ally.

Ultimately, the key to avoiding obsolescence is to remain adaptable and proactive about personal growth. By staying informed, embracing lifelong learning, and focusing on uniquely human strengths, individuals can navigate the future and be prepared for new emerging roles in the age of AI.

As economist David Autor has shown, most of today’s jobs did not exist a few generations ago. They emerged because technology augmented human capability rather than simply removing labor from the equation. AI presents the same choice. The future of work will not be determined by intelligent machines alone, but by the strategic, ethical, and economic decisions we make about how we deploy them (Rotman, 2024).

By Joern Schlimm

Note: The research for this article was supported by AI. The ideas and final content, however, came from a real human.

References

Kelly, J. (2025, April 30). These jobs will fall first as AI takes over the workplace. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2025/04/25/the-jobs-that-will-fall-first-as-ai-takes-over-the-workplace/ 

Rotman, D. (2024, January 27). People are worried that AI will take everyone’s jobs. We’ve been here before. MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/01/27/1087041/technological-unemployment-elon-musk-jobs-ai/

Yee, L., Madgavkar, A., Smit, S., Krivkovich, A., Chui, M., Ramirez, M. J., & Castresana, D. (2025, November). Agents, robots, and us: Skill partnerships in the age of AI. McKinsey Global Institute. https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/agents-robots-and-us-skill-partnerships-in-the-age-of-ai#/