What with my playing with Google AI and Chat GPT, I have been learning a lot about the capabilities. I recently found a very pretty song which captured my own mood very well. It was a good song and I saved it for listening to again. Maybe even learn it for my own performance. Guess what? Completely, 100%, AI generated! When I learned that, I felt insulted somehow.
As a musician/entertainer, I'm even somewhat put off by Karaoke DJ's. I feel like they are taking work away from us "real" performers. Well, now the songs are written and performed by computers and they are every bit as soulful and emotional as many I hear from good songwriters. I was appalled!
I had a conversation with some friends about AI and related issues the other day and we were talking about careers that could be overtaken by AI and robotics. Maybe even some in our rural world.Larry: "What companies have laid off workers because AI is now doing their jobs?"
Google AI (GAI):
In 2024 and early 2025, an increasing number of companies have publicly cited artificial intelligence and automation as direct drivers for significant workforce reductions. While some firms view AI as a "force multiplier" that reduces the need for human staff, others are restructuring to pivot their investments toward AI development.
Major Companies Citing AI in Layoffs (2024–2025)
Block (formerly Square): In February 2026, Block announced it would cut over 4,000 jobs—nearly half its workforce—explicitly citing "intelligence tools" as the reason.
Salesforce: Cut roughly 4,000 customer support roles after CEO Marc Benioff stated that AI agents could handle 50% of the company's work.
UPS: Announced 30,000 job cuts in early 2026, linked to its "Network of the Future" initiative that uses AI-enabled logistics to handle higher volume with fewer workers.
Klarna: The fintech firm reduced its workforce from 7,000 to roughly 3,000 by late 2025 through a combination of layoffs and natural attrition, claiming its AI assistant does the work of 700 full-time agents.
IBM: CEO Arvind Krishna stated that AI has replaced hundreds of back-office roles (particularly in HR) and announced a pivot to hire more in AI and quantum computing while cutting thousands of other positions.
Dropbox: Laid off 528 employees in October 2025 specifically to refocus the company around AI-powered search and productivity tools.
Fiverr: Reduced its staff by 30% to become an "AI-first" company, with leadership telling employees that many human tasks will be handled by AI.
Chegg: Laid off 45% of its workforce as the student-focused learning platform struggled with users turning to generative AI tools for homework help.
Customer Service: This is the most immediately affected area, with companies like Salesforce, Klarna, and Just Eat Takeaway replacing human support agents with AI chatbots.
Professional Services: Firms like Baker McKenzie and McKinsey & Company have automated support, research, and marketing functions.
Tech Infrastructure: Giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, and Google Cloud have cut thousands of roles while simultaneously spending billions on AI data centers and infrastructure.
Larry: "What other professions are trending towards AI takeover?"
(GAI):
Beyond administrative and tech roles, several other high-skill and service-based professions are trending toward significant AI takeover or transformation by 2026. While "takeover" often means automating 40–80% of specific tasks rather than entire careers, the shift is leading to hiring pauses and workforce restructuring in these fields.
1. Media, Communication & Translation
Interpreters and Translators: High-exposure roles as AI-based real-time translation tools reach professional-level accuracy.
Standardized Journalism: Basic news reporting, sports summaries, and financial updates are increasingly generated by AI.
Technical Writers and Proofreaders: AI excels at synthesizing complex data into manuals and checking syntax, placing these roles at high risk.
Broadcast Announcers & Radio DJs: The use of AI-generated voices for weather, traffic, and automated music sets is rising.
2. Legal and Compliance
Paralegals and Legal Assistants: AI tools can now review thousands of contracts and perform basic legal research in seconds, tasks that previously required teams of humans.
Compliance Officers: Automated systems are being deployed to monitor transactions for fraud and regulatory adherence, especially in banking.
Accountants & Bookkeepers: Basic reconciliation, expense reporting, and tax preparation are becoming fully automated.
Market Research Analysts: AI's ability to digest massive datasets makes it more efficient than humans at basic data interpretation and trend forecasting.
Loan Officers & Credit Analysts: Algorithmic credit scoring is replacing manual review for standard personal and business loans.
4. Specialized Service Roles
Travel Agents & Ticket Clerks: AI agents are taking over the logistics of booking complex itineraries and handling customer re-bookings.
Sales Representatives (Service-Based): Automated "AI agents" are beginning to handle initial outreach, lead qualification, and standard sales pitches.
Concierges and Hosts: Virtual assistants and hospitality robots are increasingly used for check-ins, local recommendations, and basic guest services.
5. Education (White-Collar Exposure)
Tutors and Language Teachers: AI-driven personalized learning tools are substituting for human tutors in standardized subjects.
Postsecondary Business & Economics Teachers: These roles show high applicability for AI-generated curriculum and lecturing, though schools are not yet replacing staff en masse.
(GAI) Would you like to see a list of AI-proof jobs that are projected to grow the most over the next decade?
Larry: Yes'
While AI handles data and digital patterns, the most resilient jobs require "human-in-the-loop" skills: physical dexterity in unpredictable environments, complex emotional intelligence, and high-stakes accountability.
Top AI-Proof Job Categories (2026–2035)
1. Skilled Trades (Physical Complexity)
AI cannot navigate a crawlspace or troubleshoot a unique plumbing leak in an old house. These roles require "manual dexterity" that robotics cannot yet replicate affordably.
Electricians & HVAC Technicians: High demand for green energy retrofitting.
Plumbers & Pipefitters: Critical infrastructure maintenance.
Carpenters & Specialized Builders: Custom craftsmanship.
2. Healthcare & Social Assistance (Human Touch)
While AI helps with diagnostics, it cannot provide the "empathy" or physical care required for recovery.
Registered Nurses & Nurse Practitioners: The Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently ranks these among the fastest-growing roles.
Physical & Occupational Therapists: Requires physical interaction and personalized motivation.
Mental Health Counselors: High-level emotional intelligence and nuanced human understanding.
3. High-Stakes Public Safety & Maintenance
Roles that involve life-or-death decisions in chaotic environments remain firmly human.
Firefighters & Paramedics: Unpredictable environments.
Police Officers & Detectives: Requires moral judgment and complex social negotiation.
Lineworkers: Dangerous, high-precision repair of electrical grids.
4. Creative & Strategic Leadership
AI can "remix" existing ideas, but it struggles with true innovation and accountability.
Chief Executives: Setting vision and taking ultimate legal responsibility.
Project Managers: Navigating interpersonal conflicts and "office politics."
Original Content Creators: Authors, directors, and artists who focus on unique human perspectives.
Larry: "Are there aspects of farming or ranching that could be turned over to AI?"
(GAI):
Yes, both farming and ranching are undergoing a "Fourth Agricultural Revolution" driven by AI and robotics. By 2026, technology is shifting from simple data dashboards to "field-ready decision partners" that can autonomously manage entire cycles of production.
AI in Farming (Crop Production)
Autonomous Machinery: Fully autonomous tractors and harvesters are now commercially used for seeding, tilling, and hauling. These machines use LiDAR and computer vision to navigate without human operators, reducing labor costs by up to 31%.
Precision Spraying: Systems like John Deere's "See & Spray" use AI to distinguish between crops and weeds in real-time, spraying herbicide only where needed and reducing chemical use by up to 90%.
Yield Prediction: AI models analyze satellite imagery, weather patterns, and soil data to dictate exact planting dates and predict harvests with high accuracy.
Industry Research +6
AI in Ranching (Livestock Management)
Health & Behavior Monitoring: Wearable sensors (collars, ear tags) and rumen boluses track vitals and movement 24/7. AI algorithms can spot lameness or illness days before a human can detect it visually.
Automated Feeding & Milking: In dairy operations, AI-driven robots handle milking and adjust feed rations for each animal in real-time based on their individual production and health status.
Reproductive Management: Software now tracks breeding cycles and predicts calving dates, alerting ranchers only when an animal needs actual assistance.
Virtual Fencing: GPS-enabled collars allow ranchers to create "virtual fences" via a smartphone app, eliminating the physical labor of maintaining miles of traditional wire fencing.
MarketsandMarkets +3
Larry: "How about restaurant workers, such as waitresses, cooks and dishwashers"
(GAI):
The restaurant industry is a massive target for AI, but the "takeover" looks very different depending on whether you’re in the kitchen or out on the floor. While some roles are being phased out by hardware, others are safe because customers still value the "human experience."
1. Waitstaff (Front of House)
Order Taking: Many chains (like Chipotle and Taco Bell) have replaced phone and drive-thru staff with AI voice bots. Inside, QR codes and kiosks are removing the need for a server to "take the order."
Food Running: "Server bots" (like those from Bear Robotics) are increasingly used to carry heavy trays from the kitchen to the table, though humans usually still perform the final hand-off and table-side service.
The "Vibe" Factor: High-end dining remains very safe. People pay for the personality, recommendations, and social interaction a human server provides.
2. Cooks (Back of House)
Prep Work: Robots like Chipotle’s "Autocado" can core and peel avocados in seconds, and companies like Dexai Robotics have arms that can assemble salads or bowls autonomously.
The Grill/Fryer: Flipping burgers and dropping fry baskets are the easiest tasks to automate. Miso Robotics' "Flippy" is already used in several fast-food chains to handle the fryer station 24/7.
Recipe Innovation: While AI can suggest "flavor profiles," human head coaches are still required for tasting, quality control, and creative menu design.
3. Dishwashers
Current Tech: There are "cobots" (collaborative robots) that can load standard trays, but the sheer unpredictability of a busy bus tub makes a human much faster and more cost-effective for now.
