The AI paradox: make your job obsolete

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked a paradox in the workforce: while AI can make jobs obsolete, it also creates opportunities for employees to become even more valuable. In 2005, an online chess tournament pitted grandmasters, strong chess engines, and teams of both against each other. The winners were a pair of American amateurs who used three computers running simultaneously in a smarter process, demonstrating that a strong human combined with the right AI process can outperform even the best computer alone.

This lesson has carried over to modern workplaces, where the key to job security has shifted from being hard to replace to being easy to redeploy.

A KPMG and University of Melbourne study revealed that 57% of employees hide their use of AI at work, and almost half admit to using it in ways that violate company policy. This concealment is rational, as mastering AI might shrink one's function, leading employees to use AI brilliantly and keep the time saved to themselves. Leaders who promise AI will augment, not replace jobs, are offering an inaccurate reassurance.

The root cause of job insecurity lies in scarcity, not the durability of tasks. With the World Economic Forum predicting that nearly 40% of the skills needed for today's jobs will change by 2030, protecting current roles becomes increasingly challenging.

The future belongs to those who can navigate AI and demonstrate value beyond technical proficiency. While AI can generate analysis swiftly, it lacks the ability to evaluate accuracy. In this environment, accountability remains crucial, and the person who can verify AI output and take responsibility for its accuracy becomes increasingly valuable.

Additionally, three essential skills stand out: framing questions, verifying AI output, and mobilizing others to adopt new processes. These skills are not limited to job titles and can be applied across roles, functions, and employers.

Ultimately, the individual who masters AI and redeploys their skills will be the safest in the workplace. Job security has always been tied to scarcity, but in the age of AI, value comes from being easy to redeploy. The first step to securing a future in an AI-driven world is recognizing that security was once about being hard to replace, while value comes from being easy to redeploy.