5 Smart Ways To Keep AI From Stealing Your Job And Stay In Demand, No Matter What

Don’t wake up in five years without income because A.I. Richardson stole your job. This is real, and it’s not a drill. Not many of us ever needed to look that far ahead in our careers. But now we do. We need to think a few steps ahead because artificial intelligence is moving fast and it will accelerate in its abilities quicker than you can shout, ‘I love robots.’ AI can, and will, do more than many of us can imagine.

I know the threat intimately because it’s affected me directly. I’ve all but lost one of my income streams from digital illustration, which sustained me through my twenties. With art-creation tools like MidJourney, this stream is gone without dropping other things to focus entirely on getting it right. If it saves time and helps us for cheaper, AI will be used and humans will be dropped. Standalone skills, be it digital music, writing, coding, or even forms of teaching will be replaced. You won’t be replaced if you think ahead and think smart. There are things we can do now to protect ourselves and our future earning potential.

Here are smart ways to keep artificial intelligence from stealing your job and stay in demand:

1. Focus on jobs artificial intelligence can’t do well (yet)

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You could undercut AI by developing your skills in things that AI can’t do well. The obvious ones right now are more blue-collar jobs like plumbing and carpentry. This also applies to more physical work like ski instructing.

As time goes on, however, and technology improves and costs decrease, this option is becoming increasingly narrow.

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2. Own more income-producing assets

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The next level from paid work or jobs is earning through investments. The wise among us are building their assets, be it real estate, buying AI-immune businesses, commodities, or cryptos for staking.

Owning more income-producing assets offers significant financial benefits, including generating a consistent income stream, diversifying investment portfolios, and accelerating wealth accumulation. Rutgers School of Management found this can ultimately lead to greater financial security and freedom.

RELATED: Man Shares His Bizarre Job Interview That Was Conducted By AI — 'This Is What Interviewing Has Become'

3. Be open to and enthusiastic about AI tools

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Learn what’s out there and use AI to build, scale, improve, and accentuate what you already have. This tech is undoubtedly here to stay, and it will only get bigger, better, brighter, and more influential in many industries and people’s lives.

It has such a vast range of applications, and so many jobs in the future will involve AI at some level. The more you learn about it now, the better prepared you’ll be to reap the rewards and benefits of this tech in the years to come.

RELATED: A.I. Will Eventually Impact Your Job & Workplace Life — What You Need To Know (& Why)

4. Develop a memorable and unique personal brand

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When your products and services can be more easily emulated, you need to add value through the context that surrounds your products.

With AI, more and more people will be looking for humanity and the emotional connection here. Those who can help their followers fall in love with them through a powerful brand story will win.

Research by Northeastern University explained that developing a memorable personal brand is crucial for standing out, building trust, and attracting professional or personal opportunities by showcasing your unique skills, values, and expertise. In the digital age, a strong personal brand ensures you stay visible and memorable in your industry or area of expertise.

RELATED: 5 Things To Do *Now* To Become Immune To The Threat Of AI

5. Learn how to skill-stack

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Create hybrid value by mixing and matching skills that add uniqueness to your approach. People can find an AI to code their sites, but they will choose you if you can create a tasteful website that also funnels newsletter subscribers via a powerful offer you helped build. (If you have other ideas on how to adapt, do share them below.)

Overall, I’m excited, because our resilience and creativity are being tested like never before. To me, that’s not a threat. It’s an opportunity.

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Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient. He's the author of the Mastery Den newsletter, which helps people triple their productivity.