I had an interesting chat with my friend, let’s call him Greg, about AI and jobs. He brought up a compelling case about Fred, an accomplished editor and writer whose career gets upended by AI. As AI tools become cheaper and better at editing, Fred’s business dries up. Greg pointed out that while Fred could find another job like night watchman or teacher, it’s not the same as the career he spent years building.
I get Greg’s point. Watching your profession become obsolete is painful. The transition period hurts, especially when you’ve invested so much into building expertise and reputation.
But there’s another side to this story that’s worth considering. Think back to the 1970s linotype operators – skilled typesetters who saw their entire profession vanish with digital typography. It was devastating for them individually. Yet that same technology made design tools accessible to everyone and helped publishing flourish beyond what anyone imagined.
The story repeats with every major technological shift. And while we empathize with displaced workers like Fred, we also need to consider people like Joe – the entrepreneur who can now build and launch his ideas thanks to AI making things faster and cheaper. Joe can serve thousands of businesses in ways that weren’t possible before.
For every Fred losing work to AI, multiple Joes gain new opportunities. This doesn’t minimize Fred’s struggle, but it reminds us that technological disruption, while painful for some, enables others to create more value for society.
The key isn’t to block progress, but to help people adapt. We need better reskilling programs, community support networks, and mentoring systems to help workers transition. The changes are coming either way – our focus should be on making the shift easier for those affected.
As I wrote about in my post on AI jobs and employment numbers, these transitions are complex and affect different sectors in varying ways. But historically, new technology has consistently created more opportunities than it eliminates.
God remains sovereign through all of this. Technological progress serves His purposes and works for His glory, even when the short-term effects feel devastating to individuals. Our role is to help each other adapt while embracing the positive changes that let us serve others in new ways.
