One of the biggest questions of the moment is: “Is my job safe from AI?” “Am I dispensable?” “Can my tasks be automated?” “Is my company going to disappear?”
Well, that was more than one question, but the sentiment is the same. People are scared that AI is going to take over and make them redundant. And that fear isn’t baseless. McKinsey estimates that 12 million workers in Europe and the US may need to shift occupations.
But there’s another side to the story. Many studies suggest that while AI may disrupt jobs at the task level, outright elimination could be slower and more uneven than we think. A Cornell University study, for instance, found that about 80% of US workers could have at least 10% of their tasks affected by large language models (LLMs such as GPT-5, Gemini or Claude), and around 19% might see half of their work impacted. Brookings estimates that more than 30% of all workers could see half of their tasks affected, and Goldman Sachs predicts that generative AI might displace 6–7% of jobs, but believes most displacement will be temporary.
So yes, “Will AI replace jobs?” is a valid question, but it shouldn’t be the only one. Because if history has taught us anything, it’s that technology rarely just eliminates jobs; it redefines who gets to participate in the economy.
In addition to asking some version of “How can I keep my job in the age of AI?” we should also ask, “How can I grow with AI?” And one sure way to grow is by addressing the unmet needs and underserved people.
AI, Jobs, and jobs
Jobs exist because people have unmet “Jobs to Be Done”. Jobs to Be Done (Jobs) is a lens that reveals the circumstances, or forces, that drive people and organizations toward and away from decisions. We all have different Jobs in our lives. Some sort of progress we’re trying to make as we strive toward a goal or aspiration within particular circumstances. And as long as there is a Job, there will be a need to “hire” a product or service for that Job.
When a new technology lowers cost or simplifies access, it unlocks new ways for people to make progress, to meet a Job, and in turn creates new kinds of work. Think of how computers opened up software engineering and technician positions. Or how low-cost video platforms enabled the rise of online teachers, telehealth professionals, and remote freelancers.
AI can do the same…if we design for nonconsumption.
Nonconsumption refers to the vast set of people who would benefit from a product or service, but can’t access it yet because it’s too expensive, complicated, or somehow out of reach. These people are the “nonconsumers.” When innovators build affordable, simple solutions for nonconsumers, they aren’t just competing for existing demand, they have the possibility of creating new markets and with these markets come jobs. (For the sake of this article, I’ll write jobs for work or employment, and I’ll write Jobs to refer to the progress people are trying to make.)
Right now, AI isn’t just exposing sectors where humans might become redundant; it’s also highlighting the many areas where people lack the tools, systems, or access to get basic Jobs done.
For instance, if a sick person needs care but can’t find it due to doctor shortages, that’s an unmet Job, and an opportunity for innovation. Or if a small business needs to transport goods but faces unreliable logistics in a congested city, or a farmer can’t power machinery because of poor electricity infrastructure – those are all forms of unmet Jobs and nonconsumption.
Each represents an opportunity for entrepreneurs to build affordable, perhaps AI-powered or AI-collaborative solutions that meet these needs. If AI can automate certain tasks, instead of designing AI solutions that will make people redundant, design an AI solution that will fill the gaps, that will address the struggles.
If AI is designed to meet these Jobs, to address areas of nonconsumption, then instead of eliminating work, it can create new consumption and with it, new employment.
The question “Will AI take my job?” isn’t going away anytime soon. But perhaps a more productive question is: “What Jobs can AI address, and who will create new jobs by building for the billions of people not yet served?”
