Most futurists paint an apocalyptic scenario: millions of office workers will be left without jobs overnight. The excitement has risen to the level of survivalists, where loud voices drown out the essence of what is happening.
Artificial intelligence is infiltrating workplaces as a new necessity, so all-encompassing that it redefines the very concept of a qualified worker.
The number of job openings requiring skills to work with AI agents has increased by 2,043% in the past year. There is no longer a separate 'job with artificial intelligence' — there are almost no professions where you are not expected to be able to work with AI.
We are witnessing not the obsolescence of traditional professions, but their evolution under the influence of new technology. The deepest change is not the mass reduction of jobs, but the transformation of the professions themselves.
A lesson from the history of photo labs
Thousands of specialists worked in photo labs in the 20th century, developing films in dark rooms and painstakingly printing each shot. Then digital photography arrived, and within a few years, the processing industry collapsed.
When machines came, everyone understood — the game was over. This was evident from the empty laboratories, idle equipment, and silence where amplifiers once worked.
We see a similar shift with artificial intelligence. Tasks in their original form have disappeared, but the demand for photography has sharply increased. As prices have fallen, new industries have emerged — from wedding photography to Instagram marketing. The film developing process has disappeared, but the amount of work in creating images has multiplied by hundreds.
Yes, routine tasks are disappearing. Yes, job descriptions are mutating. But the value core of human labor is growing. We are witnessing absorption: artificial intelligence is being integrated into workflows, enhancing the best professionals and creating new areas of activity.
Archetypes of the digital age
Several years ago, researchers created archetypes for workers in tandem with intelligent systems: 'centaurs', who divide tasks between humans and machines, and 'cyborgs', who blur the boundaries.
Now new roles have emerged. The 'conductor' coordinates many AI tools in the system. The 'craftsman' deliberately minimizes the use of AI to maintain a creative advantage. In a few years, 'purists' will emerge, completely abstaining from artificial intelligence and charging a premium for human results.
Employers expect that line workers ('cyborgs') will use AI tools, support service representatives ('conductors') will direct requests with the help of large language models, and marketing teams ('centaurs') will create campaigns with generative tools.
The trap of uniformity
Artificial intelligence tends to produce template solutions. This is the averaging effect — you lose the strangeness, originality, and the human who connected everything.
When AI writes and programs better than humans, the main difference is not whether you can handle the task, but whether the result will be meaningful.
Research shows: workers who heavily rely on artificial intelligence for decision-making tasks more often give incorrect answers and show a decline in critical thinking. Productivity declines despite access to the best tools.
The gap between the future and the present
Most professionals are confident that artificial intelligence can replace them in the foreseeable future. At the same time, organizations are investing little in mass training of employees to work with new technologies. The gap between fears and preparation is widening.
The traditional rhythm of curriculum development is designed for a slower era. By the time a course on AI is approved, the technology may have become outdated by two product cycles.
The spread of artificial intelligence across all professions creates a situation where even non-technical roles require technical literacy. If AI is embedded in every role, then everyone must know how to manage it.
Here lies the main paradox of our time: if you do not use artificial intelligence, you lose in competition. But if you only use artificial intelligence, your results will be similar to everyone else's.
