An Idea About the Future Everyone Should Hear Today
It’s a strange feeling. I haven’t fully processed it yet.
8 June 2025
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Hi, I am Richard. On this blog, I share thoughts, personal stories — and what I am working on. I hope this article brings you some value.
The Future of Work: Which Jobs Will AI Replace — and Which Will not?
Jobs surviving the AI revolution
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I often come across the question: “Which professions will survive the technological revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence?”
And I get it. Who would not want to know if their job will still matter in the future? But maybe we should be asking a different question.
What will people truly need in 10 years? What problems will they need to solve to not only survive but also live a good life? If we can answer this, it will ultimately lead us back to the original question.
Survival
Let us start with the basics. What is absolutely essential for survival? Clean water, food, breathable air, and other fundamental requirements. Each of these needs and the potential problems that arise from them could fill an entire blog post on its own.
Additionally, survival today also depends on:
Safety. Physical security remains the foundation for everything else. In an increasingly uncertain world, protection from threats – whether natural disasters or social unrest – will be critical.
Housing.
Energy. Accessing, storing, and using energy efficiently will likely remain a relevant topic even a decade from now.
Healthcare and Elderly Care. People need care. With aging populations, support will be crucial not only for a good life but also for basic survival.
A Good Life
Surviving is one thing. But what do we need to truly live well? I believe it all starts with meaning. We need life and the world around us to have some significance, or at least to be on a journey toward finding it. When this is missing, life feels empty, and a sense of unease creeps in. (Read more at: The Meaning of Life in the Age of Machines, Algorithms, and Artificial Intelligence)
To live a good life, I believe we need:
Freedom. Everyone needs it in some form or should at least be on the path to achieving it. This is a complex topic that deserves its own blog post.
Mental Health.
Access to Information and the Ability to Interpret It. The ability to distinguish between what is essential and what is irrelevant, between credible and misleading information, and, based on this, to discern right from wrong, will become one of the most crucial skills.
Community and Relationships. Genuine relationships and a sense of belonging have always had, and will continue to have, immense value.
The Opportunity to Participate in Public Affairs. We need to feel that we have an influence on our surroundings. The ability to impact public events, participate in decision-making processes, contribute to societal issues, or simply have the chance to express our opinions. Being an active part of something greater is, for many, an inseparable aspect of a good life.
Protection and Safety of Loved Ones. A good life is not just about personal happiness. We feel better knowing our loved ones are safe. Protecting family and friends, whether from physical dangers or psychological challenges, is and will remain a fundamental need.
Protection of Property.
Digital Security. As more aspects of life move online, protecting digital identities and assets will be of unprecedented importance. (This raises an additional question: How likely is it that this trend could reverse due to a lack of digital security? This topic certainly deserves its own blog post.)
The Second Question
Now that we have a clearer idea of what will be essential, a second question arises: What can hardware and software handle, and where will humans still be needed?
Will a robot be capable of caring for an elderly person with the same empathy as a human? Can an algorithm grasp the depth of human relationships? Perhaps. But perhaps not anytime soon. And do we even want an algorithm to handle the complexity of human relationships and the meaning of life? Would we entrust our child to an artificial being that could potentially be hacked to cause harm?
The future of work will not be determined solely by new technologies but primarily by our needs and how we choose to fulfill them.
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Summary
The question is not which professions will survive AI. The question is what will people truly need in 10 years. Water, food, safety, meaning, mental health, community. Can a robot care for the elderly with empathy? The future of work depends on human needs, not technology alone.
Sources
Population structure and ageing statistics in the EU: Eurostat, European Commission
Common questions on this article's topic
Which professions are most likely to be replaced by AI and automation?
Professions centred on production, logistics, and routine services without emotional complexity are the most likely to be automated — and sooner than many expect. Even roles in security, firefighting, and parts of military work may eventually be handled by unmanned systems. The article also notes that many knowledge workers are already automating their own tasks, effectively building systems that replace parts of their own roles.
What human needs will remain even as technology advances?
The article distinguishes between survival needs and needs for a good life. Survival needs include clean water, food, safety, housing, energy, and healthcare. A good life requires meaning, freedom, mental health, access to reliable information, community and relationships, the ability to participate in public affairs, protection of loved ones, and digital security. These needs define which roles will still require human involvement.
Will doctors and teachers be replaced by artificial intelligence?
Not entirely, but their numbers will likely decrease and their roles will transform. Even when AI surpasses human diagnostic or teaching capability, people may still prefer human doctors and teachers — for trust, empathy, or the comfort of human presence. The shift is not about whether these roles disappear, but about how they change.
Why might philosophy become more relevant in the age of AI?
As technology limits traditional options for self-realisation and the anxiety of meaninglessness grows, philosophy — in its original Socratic form of open conversation and shared reflection — could become a remedy. The article imagines experiential philosophy retreats and regular philosophy evenings in cafés as formats people would pay for, because we pay for presence, live thinking, and conversation that happens here and now.
What skills will be most valuable in the future job market?
The article suggests that the most important skills will be those that machines cannot easily replicate: emotional intelligence and empathy in caregiving roles, the ability to distinguish credible from misleading information, capacity for deep reflection about meaning and ethics, and the ability to participate meaningfully in political and societal decision-making. The future of work depends more on human needs than on technology alone.
How can I prepare if my profession might be automated?
Rather than asking which specific jobs will survive, the article recommends reframing the question: What will people truly need in 10–20 years? By understanding fundamental human needs — from healthcare and safety to meaning and community — you can position yourself in areas where human presence remains essential. The author, who works in data-driven marketing, describes how he is already automating his own role and views this not with fear but as an opportunity to move toward more meaningful work.
If you have any thoughts, questions, or feedback, feel free to drop me a message at mail@richardgolian.com.
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