The Future is Not in the Job
David Freund

Are you concerned about how AI will affect your job — or whether you’ll even have one?

Lately, I’ve heard people talk about all the jobs AI will take away. And I’ll admit — there are aspects of AI that concern me too. Though there’s another part of me that sees it for what it truly is: a powerful tool — when used appropriately.

Let’s take a step back and look at history. At one time, the most effective way to move people and goods across the country was by railroad. Before that, freight traveled from New York City to the Great Lakes via the Erie Canal. And before that? Wagons hauled goods from one location to another. So, what happened to those wagons? Think about the transition from horses to automobiles. What did that do to wheelwrights and blacksmiths? Steel-rimmed wooden wheels gave way to rubber tires. Horse-drawn wagons were replaced by pickup trucks — and eventually large freight haulers. The interstate highway system reduced reliance on rail travel. Then came the airplane.

Every advancement disrupted something — but it also created new opportunities. Consider the Industrial Revolution and the invention of the assembly line. A great example is the Lyman Boat Works, where my family’s prized 22-foot runabout was built. Founded in 1875, the company originally crafted boats entirely by hand. By the mid-1930s — after moving from Cleveland to Sandusky, Ohio — much of the work was still manual.

Over time, skilled labor became scarce. So, toolmakers developed jigs and fixtures that allowed less-skilled workers to machine complex curves and angles in mahogany. By the 1950s, they could produce an outboard runabout every 45 minutes and an inboard every seven hours, something unimaginable just decades earlier.

What changed? The tools. The methods. The expectations.

So, what does this have to do with AI? AI is simply the next tool. Yes, it will eliminate some jobs. But just like the work of a boatwright, the real value has never been in the job itself — it’s in the person doing the work. It’s in their ability to learn, adapt, and apply new tools.

Manual machining gave way to computer-controlled machining. The machinists who grew and stayed current learned to use CNC machines to do what they once did by hand. Those who didn’t…became obsolete. Tool makers like me who didn’t stay current with the technology became obsolete in the 21st-century tool room. Are my skills useless? No, they simply need to be applied differently. I still use my toolmaking skills to work on my boat or tractor when parts are needed.

There’s a phrase I use in almost every class: “When the rate of change outside of you is greater than the rate of change within you, you will become obsolete.” The antidote to AI isn’t fear — it’s growth. Learn it. Use it. Leverage it to make your job easier and more effective. Ignoring it or hoping it goes away will only ensure one thing: falling behind.

Remember this: The future is not in the profession you choose. It’s in how you choose to grow with that profession.