AI, Careers, and the Future of Work (With Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek)-Ep #185

We explore how AI is transforming work, from job security and career paths to the growing importance of upskilling, personal branding, and embracing what it means to be human.

About the Episode:

In this episode, my guest and I take a closer look at one of the most pressing concerns in today’s AI-driven world: technological unemployment. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, we explore how traditional 9-to-5 employment models are being disrupted—and what that means for job security, personal identity, and the future of work.

We discuss the anxiety many are feeling around automation, especially in creative and entry-level roles, and how the rise of generative AI is changing not just what jobs exist, but what skills are valued. We reflect on the importance of upskilling in AI tools, building a strong personal brand, and rethinking how we approach career development in a world where portfolio careers and short-term gigs are becoming the norm.

This conversation also challenges us to think beyond productivity—to consider what we truly want to spend our time on. As automation frees up hours, how do we avoid falling into a trap of constant task-chasing? And how do we stay grounded in our humanity, communication, and purpose? Whether you're feeling excited or uneasy about AI's impact on work, this episode offers a grounded perspective on how to adapt, grow, and stay human in a rapidly evolving landscape.

About the Guest:
Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek is the CEO of Clarity AI and host of the Your AI Roadmap podcast, where she explores the future of AI with experts from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and more. Ranked the #4 Voice AI Influencer by Home , she’s also the author of Your AI Roadmap: Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy, which explores resilience in the time of AI via personal brand, networking, and wealth building toward financial freedom.

 With over a decade of experience building AI and data solutions for Fortune 500 clients—including roles at Nuance, Netavox, and VERSA—Joan blends technical innovation with social impact. She is the founder of Women in Voice, a global nonprofit promoting diversity in AI, and an active startup advisor and investor.

Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, UXmatters, and at events like CES, Google I/O, and VentureBeat. She holds a PhD in Multimodal AI and lives in Seattle, WA.

Book Link: Your AI Roadmap

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jpb/

Free Quiz: https://yourairoadmap.com/me

Timestamps:
00:01:05 - Episode Commences
00:04:10 - Initial Engagement with AI & Technology field
00:06:22 - People's Perception on AI Replacing Job Market
00:10:04 - How Industries are Augmenting AI
00:17:15 - AI a Time Saver or a Replacement of Human Labor
00:24:11 - How AI growing in the West compared to other parts of the World 00:30:36 - How Skill Values over AI
00:37:55 - How to stand out from the crowd with an Unique Business Idea
00:45:45 - The Protest Against AI and it's Consequences
00:49:20 - Human's Emotional Intelligence vs AI
00:52:45 - Episode Concludes

Additional Notes:

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