The AI Wave: What It Means for Jobs

Part One

What's actually happening?

Computers have learned to think. Not in the way humans think — but well enough to do a lot of work that used to require a human brain.

We're not talking about factory robots tightening bolts. Today's AI can write emails, analyse spreadsheets, answer customer questions, create images, plan projects, and solve complex problems. And it does this faster and cheaper than hiring a person.

~ If you've used ChatGPT, talked to an automated customer service chat, or seen AI-generated images online — those are the early ripples. The bigger waves are coming, and they're coming fast.

What makes this different from past technology changes is the speed. Every few months, AI gets noticeably smarter. The gap between what AI can do today and what it could do a year ago is enormous. And it's accelerating.

Part Two

Which jobs get hit first?

Not all jobs are affected equally, and not all at once. Think of it like a wave moving through the economy:

Already happening Office and desk jobs — data entry, basic accounting, customer service, admin work, report writing. AI handles these well today.

Next 3–7 years Professional jobs — junior lawyers, financial analysts, marketers, programmers. The kind of work that used to require an expensive degree.

Already starting Creative work — writing, graphic design, photography, music. AI can now produce work that looks and reads professionally.

5–15 years Physical jobs — driving, cooking, cleaning, building. Robots are harder to make than software, so this takes longer. But it's coming.

~ Think of it like a kitchen. Imagine a restaurant where one head chef, using AI tools, can now do the planning, ordering, costing, scheduling, and menu development that used to require a team of five. The restaurant doesn't hire five anymore. They hire one really good chef — plus the AI tools.

Part Three

The domino effect

When people lose their office jobs, they don't just disappear. They still need to earn money. So they look for other work — whatever's available.

Imagine a thousand office workers in your city suddenly start driving Grab. What happens? More drivers, fewer rides each. The pay per ride drops because there are too many drivers competing for the same passengers.

This happens at every level. Displaced workers flood into jobs that AI hasn't reached yet, pushing wages down for everyone already doing those jobs.

~ It's like this: Imagine ten new restaurants suddenly open on your street, all competing for the same customers. Everyone's revenue drops. Not because your food got worse — but because there are too many options chasing the same demand.

The result is a chain reaction. Jobs don't just vanish — the value of work drops across the board as more people compete for fewer positions that AI can't do yet.

Part Four

What does this mean for money?

Here's the simplest way to think about it. Imagine a line:

Above the line: work that AI can't do yet. People here earn good money.

The AI line

Below the line: work that AI does cheaper and faster. Humans can't compete here.

This line keeps moving up, year after year. The water is rising.

Every year, AI gets smarter. The line rises. Work that was safely "above the line" last year might be below it next year.

Eventually, so many people will be below the line that governments will need to step in — most likely by giving everyone a basic monthly payment so they can afford food, housing, and essentials. This is sometimes called a universal basic income.

That payment will cover the basics. But it probably won't be enough for a comfortable life — not during the transition period while the world figures this out. The people who will be most comfortable are those who saved and invested money before the wave hit.

Part Five

What about cooking?

Let's be honest and specific, because this matters to you.

More vulnerable: High-volume, repetitive cooking. Fast food assembly, large-scale meal prep, chain restaurant kitchens. Robots are getting better at these tasks every year. These roles are most at risk because the cooking is standardised and repeatable.

More resilient: Fine dining, creative menu development, personal cooking, the experience of a chef's table. The craft, the creativity, the human connection — these are the hardest things for a machine to replicate. People don't go to a great restaurant for calories. They go for the experience. That's still human.

But here's the indirect problem: even if your skills are safe, the world around you changes. If fewer people have good incomes, fewer people eat out at nice restaurants. If the middle class shrinks, the customer base for restaurants shrinks too.

~ Your cooking skills may stay valuable. But the number of people who can afford to pay for them might decrease. That's the hidden risk — it's not about whether a robot can cook. It's about whether customers still have the money to dine.

Part Six

So what should you do?

Don't panic. But don't ignore this either. Here's what matters most:

Save and invest while you can. The next 5–10 years are a window. Money saved now and invested wisely — in a mix of global company shares, gold, and bonds — can grow on its own, even if your job changes. The earlier you start, the more time your money has to work for you.

Learn to use AI as a tool, not just fear it. The chefs, designers, and professionals who thrive will be the ones who use AI to handle the tedious parts of their work — costing recipes, managing inventory, marketing on social media — while they focus on the human craft that AI can't touch.

Lean into what makes you human. Creativity. Relationships. Physical skill. Taste. Instinct. The warmth of serving someone a meal you crafted with care. These are the last things AI will replace. Make them the centre of your work.

Don't bet everything on one thing. One job, one property, one source of income — that's fragile in a changing world. Having your money spread across different investments is like having multiple recipes in your repertoire. If one doesn't sell, the others carry you.

~ The bottom line: The world of work is changing faster than it ever has. This isn't about robots taking over tomorrow. It's about a gradual shift that will reshape which jobs exist, what they pay, and who gets to do them. The people who prepare now — by saving, investing, and adapting — will be in the strongest position when the wave arrives.