For the past 30 years, whenever technology has been mentioned - especially the word "digital" - the automatic image has been of computers, machines, and, at the height of our creativity, robots or futuristic imagery. However, today, the term “digital” is almost immediately linked to one thing: Artificial Intelligence (AI). It has dominated conversations, sparked debates on ethics and practicality, and created a wave of emotions among users and the public alike.

Will AI Steal Our Jobs?

The dominant narrative surrounding AI has often been one of fear: “AI WILL STEAL OUR JOBS.” This fear has led to the rise of a new term, FOBO (the fear of becoming obsolete). While it’s undeniable that automation has disrupted many fields, the bigger question remains: Will AI really replace the professional altogether? In my humble opinion, no, it won’t.

Just as other disruptive movements throughout history have done, AI forces us to reframe our view on current and future problems and how we approach solving them. It’s not just about the technology itself—it’s about rethinking our professional abilities and how we can leverage them in the face of new challenges.

AI is a massive leap forward for our generation. It’s easy to understand how, seeing platforms like ChatGPT come out so refined, we might wonder: Could this threaten my livelihood in the very near future?

But if we take a step back, we see that resistance to automation has always existed. From the early days when iron weapons replaced stone tools, there were groups who resisted the change. Imagine those who were skilled in carving stone but knew nothing about working with iron! Just like AI, emerging technology has always sparked both fear and inspiration.

The Impact of Fear and Resistance on Youth

The problem with this resistance is that it impacts the youth in two ways. First, their direct mentors—parents, teachers, and others—may resist AI due to their own fears. If not, peer influence could also transmit this aversion, leading to something even more powerful: Fear. Not necessarily fear of the technology itself, but fear of pursuing a path they wrongly believe has no future due to AI’s rise.

A 2017 study by the World Economic Forum revealed an interesting trend: "While the number of workers without a college degree who expressed concern stayed almost unchanged at 24%, there was a rise in the number of worried college-educated workers – from 8% to 20%." This statistic is striking because it’s precisely those who are more formally educated who are feeling the most fear, while those who have not followed traditional paths are more accustomed to approaching their careers in non-linear ways.

Embracing AI as a Path to New Opportunities

For the youth still deciding whether to pursue college or follow an alternative route, it’s crucial to help them stay open to the idea that change is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, AI presents an opportunity for new roles and skills to emerge, and for young people to carve out niches that are uniquely their own.

Communication has always been a key factor in the development of society and humanity. Perhaps what we now call prompting—the art of communicating with AI to harness its power—could be the new milestone for the future. Instead of fearing that AI will replace us, we should embrace it as a tool to augment our capabilities and open up new doors to career paths and opportunities that we haven’t even imagined yet.

As we face the future, the challenge is not about resisting AI, but learning how to use it. By embracing this shift, we have the opportunity to shape the workforce of tomorrow in a way that aligns with the values and skills of the digital age.

The future is not about AI taking over; it’s about AI helping us unlock new potential.

Author of the blog post:

José M. Imbert, YesEuropa.org