Jobs to be Done in an AI world
What humans need to start building mastery in
Earlier this week, on the hottest day of the summer (1st July), I found myself front seat at a Future of Work event. Between sessions on remote culture, workplace engagement, and the rise of portfolio careers, one discussion stood out: the role of humans in an AI world.
Not the usual question - what can AI do for us? - but a flipped version:
What do we, as humans, bring to a world where AI can do almost anything?
It was a provocative shift.
The Wrong Question: “Will AI take our jobs?”
This question is everywhere. It breeds panic or denial, sometimes both in the same breath. Yes, some jobs will disappear. Yes, others will be created. But the more useful lens isn’t job titles, it’s jobs to be done. In other words: What are the core problems, needs, and goals that must still be solved in a world increasingly run by machines? That’s where humans come in.
As of now, AI is brilliant at pattern recognition, summarization, prediction, and simulation. But its limitations are revealing. It still struggles with nuances, morality, real-world context, and meaning making.
The Jobs Humans Will Own
Here’s what I believe will be increasingly valuable and well-compensated in an AI-powered world:
🔍 Sensemaking
At the conference, a speaker shared a slide packed with statistics, forecasts, and trends. The kind that makes your wish for a strong coffee. I watched the room: pens scribbling, a few blank stares, someone quietly checking Slack. Then the moderator asked: “So what does all this mean for a 22-year-old just starting out in the workforce”
Silence. Then a murmur of attempts, none quite landing. That moment stuck with me.
Because while AI can summarize a hundred-page report in three seconds, it can’t always tell you what matters or why it matters right now, to you. Humans are still the bridge between complexity and clarity. We’re the ones who translate data into insight, insight into action, action into impact.
And in a world where information is infinite, interpretation is power.
🎨 Creative Generation
I once interviewed a female founder x designer who could distil the essence of an abstract idea and turn it into a mosaic piece that made you feel. Her work had the ability to move people.
Could AI replicate the visual style? Sure. But real creativity is not just output. It’s taste, context, and constraint. It's saying something no one else has said quite that way. That’s why, even in an AI-saturated world, the people who can touch hearts, provoke thought, and tell stories that resonate across time and space will always have a place.
🤝 Emotional Labour
🤝 Emotional Labour
I had a tough conversation with someone on my team a few years ago - about burnout, purpose, and whether they should stay in the job. We talked for an hour. There were long pauses. Some tears. A joke or two. Nothing scripted. Just two humans, navigating complexity.
AI could definitely have suggested talking points. But could it have read the moment, felt the tension, or known when to simply be quiet? Probably not.
There’s a reason therapists, coaches, and even great managers are not being replaced anytime soon. Emotional labour is an invisible, undervalued work in todays world. But now that AI is here to do the “hard skills,” will we finally recognize emotional intelligence as a strategic asset?
⚖️ Facilitation & Constructive Debate
⚖️ Facilitation & Constructive Debate
AI is not great at exploring questions, especially the kind with no clean solution. The skill of the future isn't just having the right opinion, it’s knowing how to listen, how to challenge, and how to hold space for opposing views without shutting down the conversation.
In a polarized world, those who can hold space for disagreement, ask better questions, and guide productive dialogue will lead. AI might answer questions, but humans still need to ask the right ones.
🌱 Vision and Values Leadership
AI can tell you the fastest route. It can even tell you how to get more clicks, more revenue, more efficiency. But only YOU can decide where you want to go, and why it matters.
That’s why I believe the most human job of all is leadership rooted in vision and values. The kind that asks: “What future are we building? Who is it for? Who gets left behind?” Whether you’re a CEO, a community organizer, a start up founder, or a parent, this is your domain. AI cannot replace your discernment, your conviction, or your ability to inspire.
What does this mean for us?
The AI shift presents an opportunity to double down on being human.
If you’re a leader, invest in teams who are entrepreneurial - those who listen, adapt, and sense what is changing.
If you are building a career, sharpen your human edge by practicing more curiosity, intuition, and storytelling. Learn how to work with AI, not compete against it.
And if you’re designing systems (which is my favourite ‘job to be done’ in my role today): ask not just what can be automated, but what should never be.
Signing off for the week,
Nareen