It’s hard to know what to think about artificial intelligence these days. The pendulum swings wildly, with some people warning of a robotic surveillance state while others dismiss the trend as overblown hype.
But beyond the headlines—in every region, industry, and demographic group—Americans are asking: How will AI affect my job?
Some fear their positions will disappear, replaced by cheaper, more efficient, faceless technology. Others worry about a shrinking need for entry-level workers, or that they’ll struggle to re-enter a workforce that has fundamentally changed. Many workers are being asked to adapt on the spot, testing new AI tools to determine their best use.
Amidst all the uncertainty, a few things are clear: Artificial intelligence is here, it’s advancing rapidly, and it will change learning and work as we know it. That is a call for action.
Our way forward lies in shaping human potential alongside technology. That means preparing people to use AI and lead alongside AI. The jobs of the future will demand sharper human skills that allow us to do what machines can, at best, only imitate—things like working together, adapting to change, and navigating complexity.
Workers of all ages will need to hone their skills—not so much to hold on to a spot in the changing workplace, but to position themselves to seize the new opportunities that this AI-driven era will create. Consider that the Stanford AI Index Report estimates that nearly 80% of businesses already use AI. And the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report says that, while AI and technology could displace some 92 million positions worldwide by 2030, about 170 million new jobs may be created.
This isn’t exactly new. Technology has always reshaped work. The American economy was agriculture-driven during the colonial period and at the country’s founding. In the 19th century, industrialization overhauled the economy through factories and railroads. The 20th century saw the growth of corporations and the financial sector. Manufacturing continued to evolve as automation ushered in a new era of advanced manufacturing, and globalization shifted markets. Today, technology and health care fuel the economy.
But it was people, not technology, who carried the country through all those changes. It was their talent—their knowledge, skills, and abilities—that made it happen.
So let’s invest in developing that talent. Let’s empower people with the education and training that prepares them to lead alongside technology and thus thrive through the AI revolution. Many more Americans need such learning: post-high school programs that are affordable, flexible, and relevant.
A strong learning system will have to confront several questions about AI, including:
- How to provide guidance to students so that AI helps—not hurts—learning. Young people report nuanced thinking around AI, with surveys showing high use of AI tools but deep concerns about what it’s doing to their learning and professional prospects. Few report receiving consistent guidance—or any at all—from their schools and colleges. Multiple studies show the danger of “cognitive offloading”—giving over too much work to the machines—particularly among less experienced learners. We can’t allow a casual approach to AI to short-circuit students’ development.
- How to integrate AI skills at every level of learning. Workers will increasingly need to determine whether AI outputs are reliable and valuable. This means embedding digital fluency, data literacy, and ethical reasoning into education and training programs at every level. Students also need more opportunities for work-based learning—more chances to actually apply their knowledge and skills.
- How to show the value of durable skills. Students should be better informed on the purposes behind what and how they learn. A five-paragraph essay isn’t really about the essay itself; it’s a building block to help students learn to organize information and communicate it effectively. Completing a set of math problems isn’t just about getting the answers right; it’s also about applying concepts and developing fluency with numbers. When they understand the underlying reasons for their learning activities, students are better able to translate what they’ve learned into skills that show they’re ready for the workforce.
- How to put the right guardrails in place. AI remains largely unregulated, including in educational settings, which risks undercutting its promise. Beyond schools establishing recommendations and best practices, AI needs rules that define legal and ethical boundaries. Policymakers, educators, technologists, and students must form strong partnerships to develop frameworks for governing when, why, and how AI should be embedded in the learning experience.
AI has taken over many tasks, but it can’t fully replicate human capabilities. In health care, for example, algorithms can help analyze scans, predict risks, and track data. But comprehensive patient care remains profoundly human. It requires the responsibility, judgment, and compassion of doctors, nurses, and other providers.
We’re counting on rising generations to tackle society’s most pressing and challenging problems. Machines aren’t likely to be the ones addressing the environmental impact of using AI, for example. And we can’t leave it up to technology to ensure that everyone has a real opportunity to lead a good, fulfilling life.
When the New York Times consulted eight experts to make predictions about AI, they overwhelmingly agreed that most Americans will be using AI chatbots at least once a day. However, only one of them predicted that U.S. unemployment will significantly increase because of AI. The experts underscored the transformative potential of AI while also stressing that “humanlike” is not the same as being human.
Asked to offer advice to a high school student about preparing for the future, historian Yuval Noah Harari said, “Give equal importance to your head (intellectual skills), your heart (social skills), and your hands (motor skills). It is in the combination of these three that humans still have a large advantage over AI.
“Also,” he added, “try to enjoy the ride.”
The real promise of this moment lies not in technology, but in human capability. Artificial intelligence will boost productivity and reshape entire industries, but it cannot replace judgment, empathy, creativity, or care. Those qualities live in people, not machines. We will write the future of work by the choices we make now about education, training, and our shared humanity.