Many of my blog posts are exploratory. This one is no different. So, please bear with me as I think through this 'on paper'.
Artificial Intelligence is being called the biggest and most influential technological change in the history of mankind. In essence, it is the second iteration of the printing press. But, unlike all technological advancements in the past, AI presents us with the problem of decreasing the number of jobs needed to fulfill tasks in businesses. This will result in a major decrease in the employment numbers all over the world, not only in America.
This is an existential problem for the world. While things advance in tech and run smoothly for everyone because of the power of Artificial Intelligence, the number of people out of work, and therefore out of an income, will become a serious issue. We already are faced with too many unemployed and homeless people right now and things are basically great, economically speaking, for the moment.
Just like any problem that posed great challenges to societies in the past, it also brings great opportunities. But, how will that look? What will people do in the interim going into the future? What are the mass careers of the future? What value can people bring to a business model that creates the same kind of economic stability that the former workforces of our society enjoyed?
One thing I think back on about such questions are the same ideas I had about Nike sending jobs overseas to make shoes. Americans lost jobs, but got shoes cheaper than they could have if those shoes were produced in the United States. But, my thought has always been, "Maybe, it means those people would be better used to do something with a higher purpose than making shoes in a factory." Does anyone miss working in a shoe factory? Besides the income, it isn't a loss, is it? I think not.
So, as we sit here looking into the future like a deer in the headlights, stunned with the bright lights of this rapidly developing tech shining at us in the face, what are we going to do to improve the tasks of those people whose jobs will be lost because of Artificial Intelligence, or "Hal" as I call it. And what is the 'product or service' these jobs will deliver?
I have often said that tech is irreplaceable in areas it affects. But, in areas, it doesn't affect it has no power at all. Nada. Nil. So, the task is to define those areas and to create businesses built around those areas.
For lack of a better term I call this area of business "Being Humans". What does that mean?
The one area that people need most in life is the need for humanity, being humane, being a member of the homo sapiens. The need people have for people will never change. No robot or computer can replace the living breathing soul of a caring person. Just like kitchen appliances that do one job, the people who are best at what they do are experts in just one area. Being a human in what you do in a certain area is the key to the future economy.
Just like the transfer of the Humane Society animals into service animals can be a great benefit to many people, so can people become 'service people' to those in need of support. I think it is one of the biggest opportunities in the world of business today and what is more important, supports start ups and entreprenuership at a completely different level.
When my parents, my brother, and myself have been in the hospital for various reasons the most valuable service that was rendered was nursing care and support care. The truth is, there aren't enough nurses, support staff, and doctors in hospitals and clinics around the world. It takes "TIME" to care for someone, so the number of people who are employed by a hospital per patient is in direct correlation of the level of care the patients receive. If this isn't a very important job, I don't know what is.
However, nursing and medical support staff are just a fraction of the human touch industry has to offer. It is needed in education at all levels, lowering class sizes, serving individual needs, and taking a more personal interest in the development of the future human race has got to be one of the most important areas of job growth in the future.
I asked ChatGPT to create a list of occupations that Artificial Intelligence is least likely to replace.
Got it — here’s the refined list of human touch occupations that are least likely to be replaced by AI or automation.
These rely heavily on empathy, physical presence, complex human judgment, and personal trust — things machines still struggle to replicate.
Healthcare & Wellness
- Nurse (especially bedside & home care)
- Midwife
- Physical therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Massage therapist
- Hospice care worker
- Home health aide
- Mental health counselor / psychotherapist
Education & Childcare
- Early childhood teacher
- Special education teacher
- School counselor
- Youth mentor
- Childcare worker / nanny
- In-person tutor (especially with special needs)
Community & Social Services
- Social worker
- Rehabilitation counselor
- Crisis intervention specialist (in-person)
- Community outreach worker
- Case manager for vulnerable populations
Hospitality & Personal Services
- Hair stylist / barber
- Cosmetologist / esthetician
- Personal trainer
- Spa therapist
- Tour guide (specializing in storytelling & culture)
Creative & Performance
- Live theater actor
- Music teacher (in-person, hands-on)
- Art therapist
- Dance instructor
- Live event host / MC
Emergency & Public Safety
- Paramedic / EMT
- Firefighter
- Search and rescue worker
- Disaster relief volunteer
I have often wondered why there are so many new churches being created in the United States, well in the south anyway. I think the reason is that a church, which is a non-profit business, offers the "Human Touch" business model many are searching to create.
There are other possibilities not mentioned on the list, but the point is this...when tech gives us the opportunity to become more "Humane" we need to embrace it. That is the exciting ticket forward, for the greatest answer to being needy is to serve someone else's need.