Oh, how we’ve laughed over the years at our parents struggling with new technology – like those video calls where we could only see our dad from the eyebrows up, or the time our mum signed off a text about some- one’s death with ‘lol’. Recently, though, it feels like karma is coming for us, and it’s powered by AI. For the first time, older Millennials and Generation X are experiencing serious FOBO: the fear of being obsolete.
Looked at one way, the arrival of artificial intelligence in our offices has been great. Convenient tools have sprung up to take care of the tasks we don’t love – drafting a report or transcribing notes. ‘AI is going to do a lot of the grunt work and the optimistic view is that it will improve our productivity by 30%,’ says Isabel Berwick, the Financial Times’ workplace expert and author of The Future-Proof Career. ‘It could revolutionise the “work of work” – the constant emails, meetings and admin that are a massive time-suck.’
Yet a poll last month by Henley Business School found that 61% of full-time professionals felt overwhelmed by the speed at which technology is developing around them. There’s also something unsettling about watching a computer do in seconds something you’ve been paid to do for decades. After all, if tech can do it quickly and cheaply, why pay a human? Last year, the International Monetary Fund predicted that AI will affect 40% of jobs. And the Institute for Public Policy Research found that secretarial, customer service and administrative roles (which are overwhelmingly held by women) are first in line to disappear.
They’re not the only jobs where AI is showing up, however. In many industries, it’s being used to begin work that humans then check or complete. In law, AI can collate or analyse information and write or review documents. ‘We’re starting to have no option but to use it for certain tasks,’ says Laura*, 46, a partner in a law firm, ‘because we know clients will soon say, “I’m not paying you £600 to do that when you can use an app and it be done more quickly.” Realistically, I fear it’ll result in fewer jobs for lawyers.’
Author and midwife Leah Hazard, 47, is concerned about how it will affect maternity care, with AI already being used to interpret foetal monitoring. ‘There was also a trial in the US of a robot that could do some of the same tasks as the nurse in charge, such as allocating staff to patients and organising operating-theatre workflow. To me, there’s no substitute for human skill and intuition, but I have no doubt that AI will replace some maternity jobs.’
Marketing, where AI can be used to write, strategise and plan, is already feeling the pinch, says Mishar Briones, a 37-year-old brand and content marketer. ‘We’re in an economic downturn, so marketing depart- ments are shrinking, and the people who are kept are often the ones who are most adept at using generative AI tools,’ she explains. ‘Sometimes, I feel positive that technology could allow us to focus more on human connection than metrics – but I also feel anxious that those jobs will never come back.’
It’s causing redundancies in financial services too, according to Berwick. ‘In five years’ time, if you’re a manager in a corporate environment, you’ll probably manage both humans and what they call “agents”, which are AI “workers”. There are lots of organisations where AI hasn’t scratched the surface yet, but even if you don’t think it’s coming, it definitely is.’
For those of us in our forties or fifties – not young enough to be natives to the tech, not old enough to retire – it’s unnerving. We’ve worked hard to climb what we thought was a sturdy career ladder; now we’re wondering if the ladder will dissolve. ‘A lot of people who lose work will feel it is their own failure – that they should have seen the writing on the wall and changed industry sooner,’ says Gabriella Braun, whose book, All That We Are, explores the human dynamics of the workplace. ‘But if AI takes your job, it’s not your fault.’
Before we panic, it’s important to note that nobody knows for sure exactly what’s going to happen – but if your head is in the sand, it’s time to extract it. ‘The best thing you can do is get a little ahead of the curve,’ advises Berwick. ‘Have a play around with AI and get in the habit of using it as part of your life. Keep abreast of what’s coming and be proactive in trying new functions.’
Over the next decade, as some industries shrink and change, some of us will probably need to retrain or take a sidestep. Changing careers typically requires planning, so don’t put off thinking about it until you’re forced. ‘Fear can paralyse us but, if we can tune into curiosity, that can be a useful emotion,’ says Braun. ‘Maybe there’s an industry that you know somebody in that you could start to find out about.’
Networking – though the word fills some of us with dread – is going to be increasingly important. ‘Some people are anti-LinkedIn, but set aside preconceptions because these things are really about human connection,’ says Berwick. ‘You might be nervous about going to an event where you won’t know anyone, but often you’ll have at least one conversation that will make it worthwhile.’
For those who can afford it, she also advises speaking to a coach. ‘There’s a whole industry of women’s midlife transition coaching and support networks out there. I’ve met people who’ve had fascinating career changes. Many women have retrained to become psychotherapists, yoga teachers or even death doulas – and these face-to-face occupations are going to become more important. Clearly, you’re not going to make the same money as you would in a corporate job, but it’s a different kind of balance, and these are jobs that have real purpose.’
If you have what are sometimes referred to as ‘soft skills’ – stereotypically considered a female strength – make the most of them. ‘When jobs go, the workers who stay on might have to be very good at dealing with other people,’ says Berwick. ‘So, are you good at talking to clients? Are you someone who people like and trust? I think the opportunity for women is enormous, because often they have personal experience of caring, they are organisational superstars and they interact with huge numbers of people, all of which hone those important skills.’
Rapid change is scary and we might be tempted to be cautious and lean into the familiar. If you don’t want to become professionally obsolete, however, now is the time to be bold. ‘There’s a lot of research pointing to the fact that when we’re young, our regrets are about things we’ve done but, after 45, we regret what we didn’t do,’ says Berwick. ‘So, if you have the opportunity for a change, even if it’s not welcome, just take it. You don’t need to be more risk-averse as you get older – you should actually be the opposite.’
Hattie Crisell is a contributing editor to Grazia magazine. She is the host of the In Writing podcast – a series of interviews with writers about the creative process – and author of a book of the same name. .