Part 5/14:
Scope and scale are also unprecedented. Past automation primarily targeted physical labor; AI is now attacking knowledge work—jobs that require critical thinking, specialized training, and education. This includes roles such as analysts, legal assistants, content creators, marketers, and even some engineering positions.
AI’s capabilities are already surpassing human performance in specific tasks:
Generating persuasive marketing copy
Analyzing legal contracts far faster than legal paras
Coding software more efficiently than less experienced developers
Providing around-the-clock customer support
This comprehensive absorption of roles means that jobs once thought immune to automation are now at significant risk, especially as AI systems improve.