Planet Money Asking for a friend … which jobs are safe from AI?
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Sep 10, 2025 The podcast dives into the pressing question of job security in the age of AI. Experts reveal which professions are more resistant to automation and explore the balance between human skills and technological advancements. Personal stories from listeners highlight their fears and career choices amidst uncertain market conditions. The discussion introduces the EPOC score, assessing roles based on essential human traits like empathy and judgment. Ultimately, it challenges listeners to adapt as the future of work becomes increasingly complex.
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LSAT Book In A Break Room Changed Plans
- Charlie found an LSAT book in a beige government break room and started studying for fun, which led him to consider law school.
- He then delayed law school because he worried AI might replace legal jobs and make the investment risky.
Exposure Is Not Automation
- Daniel Rock mapped 19,000+ tasks from O*NET to estimate how much LLMs can aid each task and then scored 1,000 jobs by exposure.
- He stresses exposure ≠ automation and frames AI as a general-purpose technology like electricity.
AI Could Reshape Jobs Like Electricity Did
- If AI is a general-purpose technology it will ripple across the economy in unpredictable ways, creating jobs we can't yet imagine.
- That uncertainty means we can't reliably pick 'safe' careers today; changes may be bigger and weirder.