Based on the McKinsey report “Agents, Robots and Us: A Partnership for Skills in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”
Forget the media hype about artificial intelligence taking over the world. This McKinsey report, Agents, Robots and Us: Skilled Collaboration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, lays out a straightforward truth: The future of work is not about people relatively machine; it’s about people add agent add robot. You need to make this fundamental shift in your mind right now.
The core information is Artificial Intelligence is expanding the productivity frontierbut realizing the huge benefits requires rethinking everything about how work gets done. It requires partnerships.
Grim numbers: the potential of automation
The reality is that a large portion of current human jobs are technologically vulnerable to automation. The study found that it is estimated that In theory, 57% of current working hours in the United States could be automated Through demonstrated techniques.
But don’t panic—this isn’t a prediction of jobs disappearing immediately; This is a measure technical potential. What it really shows is how profoundly the structure of work can change. This change is primarily driven by two things:
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Agents (44% potential): These are artificial intelligence and software tools that handle non-physical cognitive tasks such as information processing, writing and analysis. If your job is filled with predictable, administrative, or research tasks, you’ll be in the crosshairs of agents.
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Robots (potential 13%): These are machines that handle physical work. While impressive, the automation potential of their current technology is still lower compared to that of agents.
The key takeaway here is simple: if your job relies heavily on tasks that are routine, repetitive, or involve processing large amounts of unstructured data, then AI agents will help with those tasks Taskif not all of your characters.
Skills Survival Guide
This is where you take action. Your skills are not obsolete, but the way you apply them will fundamentally change. McKinsey found that 70% skills Employers are currently looking for jobs that are still relevant to both automated and non-automated jobs. Your fundamental abilities to communicate, problem-solve, and think critically don’t disappear. However, you will stop spending time on the basics (such as drafting basic documents or conducting preliminary research) and start spending more time ask the right questions Artificial Intelligence and interpret the results it outputs.
You need to double down on two key areas:
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AI fluency (required): Demand for the ability to use and manage AI tools has nearly skyrocketed Increased sevenfold in the past two years. This is the fastest growing single skill requirement in the job market. You have to be proficient in artificial intelligence. You need to understand its capabilities, limitations, and how to command it to get high-quality output. If you don’t learn this now, you are already falling behind.
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Essential Human Skills (Non-Negotiable): These are capabilities that artificial intelligence agents and robots cannot match. The skills that change the least are those that require high levels of social and emotional skills: Negotiation, coaching, counselling, teaching, assisting and caring. Jobs that require real-time awareness, empathy, fine motor control, or complex, unstructured decision-making (like being a surgeon or an executive) remain firmly in the human realm. Stop prioritizing automation specialization and start investing in your ability to lead, connect, and innovate.
Organizational Opportunities
For organizations, the message is clear: Stop viewing AI as a cost-cutting tool and start viewing it as a value creator. This shift could unlock estimates The U.S. economy is worth $2.9 trillion annually By 2030.
But here’s the thing: You can’t achieve this value just by automating individual tasks. You have to fundamentally Redesign complex workflows, roles and processes Work as a unified team around people, agents, and bots. Leaders must play a central role in this. They need to get their hands dirty, engage directly with technology, strategically invest in human skills that complement AI, and take the lead in building accountability, safety, and trust in this new operating model.
The bottom line is this: Artificial intelligence is changing the landscape of work. you can do this by becoming Proficient in Artificial Intelligence and enlarge your basic human skillsor you may be overwhelmed by trying to hold on to the past. The choice is yours.
Ⓒ Big Game Hunters, Asheville, NC 2025
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About Big Game Hunter Jeff Altman
People hire “Big Game Hunter” Jeff Altman to provide no-nonsense career advice around the world because he makes so many things in people’s careers easier. those things This can cover job hunting, recruiting more effectively, managing and leading better, career transitions, and advice on solving workplace problems.
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