AI will become a partner, not a rival. "The 10-Year Job Guide"

What if AI becomes widespread?

Which jobs will disappear, and which will remain?

Will they be profitable, or not?

Such predictions fill the media daily, but hold on a second. Isn't that overly pessimistic? New occupations constantly emerge and evolve. This zero-sum view based on existing jobs is just negative.

The spread of the internet and social media gave birth to influencers, while YouTube, smartphones, and high-speed connectivity propelled YouTubers to the top of popular career rankings. Work styles are also rapidly changing, with remote work, coworking, and open innovation. Let's look at the next decade freely, unbound by existing yardsticks. That's the spirit of today's featured book, 'The 10-Year Career Guide' (SB Creative).

The authors are Takafumi Horie, who urges, "Don't look back at the past, don't expect the future" (p.247), and Yoichi Ochiai, who declares, "We no longer have even a single second to spare for pessimism about the future" (p.213).

When AI grows "hands" will be one turning point

March 2016 marked the first time AI defeated a professional Go player. I remember the buzz that the day AI would surpass human intellect was drawing near. Two years later. In Hangzhou, China, AI-controlled traffic signals drastically reduced congestion. Smart speakers, which allow voice-controlled AI operation, became hit products, and 2017 was even called the first year of smart speakers. This year saw the debut of AI that analyzes professional baseball games based on massive data. While AI is rapidly permeating our lives, Horie believes the true turning point lies a bit further ahead.

Current AI merely possesses "functions that replace human eyes and ears." The key going forward, I believe, is when AI gains "hands." (...) When AI grows "hands," simple manual labor performed by humans will likely disappear almost entirely. (P.26)

The day AI gains physicality and can communicate with the outside world. The day it can efficiently handle simple tasks, and do so (as long as the battery lasts) forever. The day we achieve a "half-human, half-AI" society, where AI takes on some of the tasks humans used to do, leaving humans to do what only humans can do. This represents a major opportunity for Japan, which is entering a population decline due to low birth rates and an aging society, and faces anticipated labor shortages.

AI doesn't "take away" jobs; it gives us time for work

When AI gains brilliant minds and dexterous hands, some might hear this and think, "Jobs will disappear..." "What a terrifying future!" Some might feel anxious. However, this uncompromising book states , "In a world where everything is optimized through statistical processes, complaining about society will only leave you behind in technological progress" (p.70). It teaches us that mastering AI effectively can grant humans meaningful and valuable time for work.

The book also introduces various examples of "human-AI collaboration." Let me share a few.

Expanding Collaborative Models: From Security Guards to Doctors

Even the term "half-human, half-AI" probably doesn't immediately conjure a clear image for most people. What does AI handle, and where do humans step in? Here's an example:

・AI × Sports Coach

Processing data, making judgments, and accurately summarizing and immediately communicating instructions... AI has the potential to become a legendary coach. Humans can't detect subtle changes like player fatigue or track numbers like ball rotation speed that even superhumans can't grasp. However, humans are better at boosting player motivation. Communication within the team, and with support staff, fans, and the media, is also best handled by humans. We'll likely see more and more AI-savvy coaches emerge.

・AI × Care

A major burden in caregiving is safety management during transfers. Simple movements—like shifting from a wheelchair to a bed or moving indoors to outdoors—are accident-prone, consuming significant human resources. In the future, electric wheelchairs that detect hazards like self-driving cars may become commonplace. This would optimize workflows, freeing up time for meaningful conversations with patients and elevating the value of tasks only humans can perform.

・AI × Security Guards

Pilot tests have already begun. Patrols will become significantly more detailed through drone surveillance and AI-powered image processing. Security guards wearing AR goggles will receive alerts and rush to the scene when AI detects suspicious activity... This will transform workstyles.

・AI × Physician

Based on medical history and images, AI can diagnose from tens of thousands of possible scenarios. This complex task is a perfect fit for AI's strength in massive data processing. Of course, AI can't always act as a super doctor—especially with rare cases lacking data or during disasters like power outages. Humans will focus on patient dialogue, treatment, and surgery, while AI provides robust support.

What do you think? Doesn't a collaborative model where humans and AI each take on their optimal roles seem more realistic than a pessimistic future where AI completely takes over jobs?

The 21st Century: The Era of Work "As" Life

As mentioned several times in the earlier future projections, there will always be work only humans can do. This book continues by stating that the key to working in the coming era will be "how to create situations where only that person can handle it." In fact, the latter half of the book mainly focuses on how to build a life strategy.

Merely becoming someone who masters AI is still insufficient. You must possess "irreplaceable value." ...How? Surprisingly, the answer seems to lie in "hobbies" and "play."

In situations where "what to do isn't predetermined," humans can easily outperform machines. This is because computers lack the motivation of "wanting to do this." By pursuing niche areas with purpose—areas where computers have no place and where no one else is interested—you can achieve a breakthrough. (P.218)

Liking something. Wanting to try it. That feeling is uniquely human. Immerse yourself in play, pushing it to the point where it becomes work. That will surely become "irreplaceable value" that AI can never replicate, no matter how niche it is.

Niche fields don't make money? Not necessarily. Thanks to the internet, it's easier than ever to find people willing to pay for that value.

Indeed, a book this passionate and motivational seems beyond AI's reach. The key to navigating our ever-changing society lies right under our noses—within ourselves.

【Dentsu Inc. Modern Communication Lab】