How AI and the Future of Work Are Already Colliding

Have you seen what Sora 2 can do?

The videos look so real now it’s getting harder to tell what’s actually real and what’s AI. One scroll through your feed and you’ll see movie-level clips made by someone in their living room. I’m sure you’ve had that moment where you stop mid-scroll and think, “Wait, is this AI?”

It feels like every few months, AI takes another huge leap forward. The rise of tools like Sora 2 and the conversations around AI and the future of work are making a lot of people wonder what their careers will look like a few years from now.

Then last week Amazon announced it was laying off 14,000 corporate employees to put more money into artificial intelligence. NPR said it’s part of a major shift to “reduce layers” and “invest in efficiency.” But what that really means is people are being replaced by tech that doesn’t sleep or take coffee breaks.

A friend of mine, Sarah, works in HR. She told me their company started using an AI tool to screen applicants, handle scheduling, and even write parts of internal emails. She still has her job, but she said, “I don’t feel replaced yet. But it feels inevitable.”

A lot of people are sharing that same sentiment. Because it’s not just about layoffs. It’s about how work itself is changing, quietly and quickly.

A Deloitte survey found that most younger professionals already expect AI to reshape their roles in the next year. And honestly, that checks out. You can feel it, from marketing to tech to customer service, things are moving fast and no one really knows what industry or career path is safe anymore..

I was talking to another friend about this over dinner. He said it feels like we’re all trying to hit a moving target. By the time we figure out one new tool, another one shows up that makes it obsolete. That’s probably the hardest part of all this. It’s not just about skill. It’s about keeping up.

But it’s not all bad news. Some people are learning how to use AI as an assistant instead of an enemy. They’re finding ways to let it do the repetitive stuff so they can focus on the creative side.

Here’s what seems to help the most:

1. Stay curious.

You don’t need to be an expert, but you do need to keep learning. The moment you stop exploring new tools, you start falling behind.

2. Keep the human edge.

Empathy, storytelling, judgment, the things AI can’t fake. That’s your advantage, and it’s worth sharpening.

3. Don’t wait for change to hit you.

If your company’s testing new tech, get involved early. The people who learn it first usually keep their seats at the table.

AI isn’t going away. It’s already part of how we live, shop, create, and work. The goal isn’t to outsmart it, it’s to learn how to work with it.

No one really knows where this all lands. Maybe a few years from now, we’ll look back and realize this was just another shift, like when the internet came along. Or maybe it’ll be something bigger.

Either way, the one thing that won’t change is how we adapt. The same way we always have, by staying curious, staying flexible, and remembering what makes us human in the first place.

If you liked this, check out our post on Set it and (Actually) Forget It: The Millennial Guide to Self-Driving Money.