Raising Awesome Humans in an AI World
The other day, I was talking to an analyst friend who’s convinced that AI is going to wipe out jobs like his.
He’s already making moves, he opened a small independent bookstore, and his kids are running the front counter, helping customers find their next great read, organizing events, and learning how to manage inventory. They’re getting a hands-on education in customer service, marketing, and what it takes to keep a business alive in a tough market.
I think he’s onto something. I’ve been saying for a while that AI is going to eat jobs — not in some far-off sci-fi way, but soon. And the latest jobs report makes me wonder if “soon” might be “right now.”
Then I came across a study by journalist John Burn-Murdoch that floored me. He looked at personality shifts across generations, and the results were… not encouraging:
• Conscientiousness (discipline, reliability) and agreeableness (getting along with others) have dropped sharply among young people.
• Extroversion is down for everyone, which helps explain why we’re all going out less.
• Neuroticism (anxiety, emotional volatility) is way up.
The timing points to smartphones and social media as the culprits. And here’s the kicker — these traits matter a lot. Personality is actually a better predictor of life outcomes than intelligence or where you grew up. If you’re dependable and steady, you’re more likely to have a lasting career, a lasting marriage, and a longer life. If you’re anxious, moody, and easily thrown off track, you’re in for a rougher ride.
When people ask me, “What should my kid study so they’ll have a secure job?” my answer is: it’s less about the subject and more about who they are. Especially in the AI era, resilience, discipline, and character matter more than memorizing the perfect technical skill that might be automated in five years.
When I was a kid, you might learn that through a paper route or a lemonade stand. My first job was as a cashier at the local grocery store. In college, I was a ski lift operator. Those jobs taught me how to deal with customers, handle rejection, ask for help (and when not to), work under pressure, and understand just how hard it is to make $40.
Today, our kids are growing up in a world where they spend more time indoors, less time working, and less time interacting with people outside their immediate circle. That’s a problem — because those interactions are the training ground for life.
Team sports can teach it. So can theatre, music, volunteering, faith communities, jobs, or starting a business. Anything that forces you to show up, work with others, deal with setbacks, and try again is gold.
Here’s the silver lining: in a world where conscientiousness and resilience are in short supply, the kids who do have them are going to stand out. They’ll have more opportunities than ever.
The future job market is unpredictable, but the traits that drive success are timeless. The best thing we can do for the next generation? Raise great human beings who can adapt, build, and keep going when things change.
A good first step? Put the phone down.