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My uncle told me to learn a trade because 'computers can't fix a pipe', and now he's worried about his own job.
He's a senior draftsman in Houston, and his firm just laid off half his team after bringing in an AI design tool that does in minutes what took them days. The advice he gave me for years suddenly feels shaky, and he's scrambling to learn the new software at 58. So, is the real lesson just to pick the job the AI will take longest to figure out?
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reesej272mo ago
Isn't the lesson to just never stop learning? Your uncle's old advice wasn't totally wrong, but the goalposts moved. AI is coming for the 'thinking' jobs now, not just the physical ones. Maybe the only safe bet is to get really good at working with the new tools, no matter your field. That, or become a plumber who also knows how to fix the robot plumber when it breaks.
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sean_green442mo ago
Yeah, the goalposts keep moving for sure. I tell my team to spend an hour a week just playing with the new tools, no real work allowed.
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samflores2mo ago
Man, that's so true. I was just reading something about how AI is starting to write legal briefs and even do basic medical scans. It's wild. Like @reesej27 said, it's hitting the thinking jobs now. Your team hour is smart, because the tool you need next year might not even exist yet. I mean, you gotta keep up or you'll be the one getting fixed by the robot plumber.
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shane_hayes2mo ago
Wait, AI is writing legal briefs now? That's actually terrifying. Like, those need to be perfect. One wrong word and someone's whole case could fall apart. It's one thing for it to write a basic email, but that's a whole other level.
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