Try Not to Freak Out Challenge: The Robots Are Coming for Our Jobs
By Mannat Malik
February 2025
Picture this: It’s the year 2035. A self-driving pizza delivery drone hovers outside your window, while your home assistant AI is busy filing your taxes. Somewhere in a room, a robot named Chad is giving a PowerPoint presentation to other robots about quarterly earnings. Sounds absurd? Maybe. But if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that artificial intelligence and automation are shaking up the job market like never before.
For starters, let’s address the elephant in the room: yes, robots are stealing jobs. They don’t take sick days, they don’t complain about fluorescent lighting, and they definitely don’t ask for raises. In sectors like manufacturing, retail, and even fast food, automation has already displaced millions of workers. Flippy, the burger-flipping robot, doesn’t care about your cousin’s need for part-time hours. And don’t even get me started on the kiosks that have taken over fast-food joints, you can’t even argue with them for forgetting the extra pickles.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. AI is also creating jobs, but ones with much fancier titles. We now have Machine Learning Engineers, Data Scientists, and Ethical AI Consultants (whatever that means). Entire industries are building up around AI technology, from developing algorithms to managing the ethics of teaching robots what’s right and wrong. Basically, we’ve gone from "Would you like fries with that?" to "Can you explain the implications of neural networks on privacy laws?"
Still, the transition isn’t seamless. For every job AI creates, it seems to dismantle three others. Truck drivers, for example, are watching self-driving vehicles roll onto the scene like unwelcome party crashers. Accountants are seeing software that can crunch numbers faster and more accurately. Even artists aren’t safe. AI tools can now write poetry, paint masterpieces, and compose symphonies. If AI starts doing stand-up comedy, I’m officially out.
The long-term effects on the global workforce could be both fascinating and terrifying. In theory, AI could create a world where humans are freed from mundane tasks to pursue their passions. Imagine a world where you could quit your soul-sucking job and finally focus on your watercolor paintings of cats wearing bow ties. But here’s the kicker: That fantasy assumes wealth and resources are redistributed equitably. If history has taught us anything, it’s that Jeff Bezos will probably be flying to Mars in a diamond-encrusted rocket before that happens.
There’s also the question of how we’ll adapt. Reskilling and upskilling have become the buzzwords of the decade. Governments and companies are investing in training programs to prepare workers for AI-dominated industries. It’s a noble idea, but let’s be real: How many middle-aged factory workers are itching to learn Python programming? And even if they do, will the job market be large enough to accommodate them?
Perhaps the most under-discussed impact of AI on jobs is how it’s changing the nature of work itself. As automation takes over routine tasks, human jobs are increasingly centered around creativity, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving. Basically, we’re becoming the therapists of the workforce, the ones who step in when the robots inevitably crash or develop existential crises.
Of course, AI isn’t perfect. It’s biased (because, surprise, it’s trained on data created by biased humans). It’s prone to errors (ever ask a voice assistant a complex question and get a recipe for banana bread instead?). And let’s not forget the countless security risks of having all our data floating around in the cloud, just waiting for a hacker with too much free time.
So, what’s the takeaway here? Should we panic and start building bunkers? Probably not. Should we demand that companies and governments prioritize ethical AI development, fair labor policies, and education for displaced workers? Absolutely. And in the meantime, maybe we should all embrace the benefits of AI. After all, AI might be taking over jobs, but it’s also making life a bit easier. If I can order groceries with a single voice command and have them delivered by a cheerful robot, who am I to complain?
The key is finding balance. Leveraging AI to improve productivity and quality of life while ensuring humans aren’t left behind. And if Chad the robot CEO starts making unreasonable demands, we can always pull the plug. Literally.