How do we (really) find job security in the AI era?
December 16, 2025
By Matthew Pietz
This article was written and edited without the use of AI.
My favorite question we’ve had at Keranaut was “What if my kid marries a robot?” But far and away the most popular one is: What jobs will exist as AI advances? And relatedly, what should young people study to prepare for the new economy?
Through careful research and sustained analysis we have distilled the most viable types of professions into six categories. Here is Keranaut’s RECIPE for employability in the AI age:
R - Responsibility & Authority. For legal as well as emotional reasons, we all want a human to hold accountable. Careers in government, the legal system (judges, courtroom lawyers, and corporate counsel, as opposed to contract reviewers), auditing and licensing are safe for now. Leadership roles at all institutions are also likely to remain human while AI remains terrible at strategic and long-term thinking.
E - Entrepreneurship. It’s good to be the boss, especially as entry-level jobs get automated. What to focus the enterprise on? However much the economy evolves, some goods have almost unlimited demand: products and services that help people live longer, get healthier, reduce risks, save time, have novel experiences, and learn to do new things.
C - Culture. AI can make art in seconds, but would you hang it in your house? We predict a durable demand for human-made crafts, clothes, furniture, art, music and performance, for which some part of the population will always be willing to pay. We’ll also need people to review, curate, and promote the best work, and to teach future artists and artisans.
I - Information technology. IT will (ironically) need humans for a long time. As we’ve discussed, the four key areas are building and maintaining data centers, harvesting energy, making microchips, and cybersecurity, which may be one of the safest bets of all. As AI grows in power, so will concerns about its capabilities, and whoever can make people, governments and companies feel safer will be in high demand.
P - Physical presence.. Robots are years behind AI in development, and even once they are cheap enough to scale up, red tape and other friction will slow their rollout. Work in construction, maintenance, car repair, law enforcement, restaurants, cosmetology, personal training, and fine motor skill healthcare jobs like surgery, dentistry and occupational therapy are all good bets.
E - Empathy. AI can fake emotion well enough to displace some jobs, but there are some roles where people will just want to know they are working with a real human being. These include childcare, teaching (especially of younger ages), many healthcare roles, therapy, religious leadership, and non-profits of all types.
The job landscape will continue to change as technology advances, so these predictions will be periodically updated. One piece of advice, however, is timeless: if your kid marries a robot, at least you’ll never argue politics at the holidays, they’ll always remember your birthday, and substance abuse won’t be an issue. So keep an open mind!
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