#WorkRedefined

The “Death of a Job” is not the end of work — it’s an evolution.
Adaptability will eclipse all other skills. AI will power routine tasks, unleashing human intellect for oversight, innovation, and ethical leadership. To thrive, organizations must relentlessly upskill their people, build dynamic ecosystems, and balance automation with fierce dedication to inclusion. The human element won’t vanish — it will become the compass guiding the intelligent future.

#DeathofAJob #WorkRedefined #FutureofWork

Be the first to secure your copy!
• The Future of Work in the Age of AI •
• The Future of Work in the Age of AI •
• The Future of Work in the Age of AI •

Summary

“Death of a Job” by Mike Johns offers a timely and in-depth look at how AI, automation, and robotics are reshaping the workforce. The book traces the rapid evolution and disappearance of traditional jobs while providing readers with actionable strategies to adapt and thrive in this fast-changing environment. Through insightful analysis and real-world examples, Johns paints a vivid picture of the challenges and opportunities in the emerging #FutureofWork.

What truly distinguishes this book is its sharp focus on how technological disruptions disproportionately affect people of color and women. Johns thoughtfully addresses the unique barriers these groups may face as industries shift and new skill demands arise. With a strong emphasis on inclusive adaptation strategies, he not only forecasts the future of work but also champions equity and resilience, making “Death of a Job” an essential resource for anyone committed to navigating this transformation with awareness and purpose.

Elucidation

The “Death of a Job” is not the end of work, but a profound transformation. The #FutureofWork will prize adaptability above all else, with AI becoming the engine for routine tasks, freeing human intellect and creativity for oversight, innovation, and ethical stewardship. To thrive in this transformative era, organizations must commit to the continuous upskilling of their workforce, cultivate vibrant and collaborative ecosystems, and strategically balance the immense potential of automation with an unwavering commitment to inclusive workforce strategies. The human element will become more critical than ever in guiding, shaping, and ethically navigating this intelligent future.

About the author

Mike Johns is an author, futurist, speaker, businessman, advocate, thought leader, and professor, deeply committed to advancing ethical AI. He is dedicated to educating and inspiring the next generation about the symbiotic relationship between humanity and technology, promoting future literacy, and advocating for responsible innovation. Johns is focused on helping individuals understand how technology can enhance human lives, while ensuring its ethical use in shaping the future of work and society.

As the founder and CEO of Digital Mind State, a cutting-edge AI consultancy, Johns integrates technological innovation with a profound understanding of human values and culture. His expertise spans the intersection of technology and human life, and he is a pioneer in future literacy education. Johns has developed innovative programs at Arizona State University and the University of Nevada Las Vegas to help students prepare for a world where technology and human progress are increasingly intertwined. Additionally, as the founder of the We Are Digital 501(c)(3) nonprofit, he launched the “Make America Smart with AI” Tour, a nationwide initiative to demystify AI and promote its responsible integration in K-12 schools, colleges, and communities.

Johns’ commitment to humanizing technology is demonstrated through his work as the creator of the AI Advisory Board Framework for the City of Los Angeles and Southern Nevada. He has also served as an Innovation Awards judge at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a consultant for the Korea Electronics Show, and as a driving force behind groundbreaking projects such as “13th Man” with NFL players and AI speed dating with Sophia the Robot. His work bridges the gap between technological advancements and human-centered values, ensuring that AI is used responsibly and inclusively.

On his popular podcast “Yo! Tech This Out,” Mike Johns engages with some of the most forward-thinking founders and innovators in the fields of technology, AI, AV, and robotics. Through these conversations, he shares insights on the future of technology and its potential to positively impact society, while fostering greater understanding of how these advancements are reshaping industries and everyday life.

Learn more about the author

6 Seismic Shifts

#WorkRedefined

The Algorithmic Restructuring of Work

Sophisticated algorithms are doing more than automating routine tasks — they are fundamentally redefining job roles and organizational structures. As businesses increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making for hiring, task allocation, and performance evaluation, we are witnessing a deep restructuring of how work is organized and managed. This transformation points toward the disaggregation of traditional jobs into smaller, specialized micro-tasks that are coordinated and optimized by AI systems. As a result, the boundaries of job descriptions are blurring, making flexibility, continuous learning, and digital fluency essential traits for workers navigating the new landscape of work.

AI as the New Co-Worker (and Sometimes Boss)

The evolving relationship between humans and artificial intelligence in the workplace highlights the increasing integration of AI-powered tools that collaborate with human workers, automate communication, and even oversee tasks. This shift raises critical questions about trust, accountability, and the changing dynamics of workplace teams, as the roles of humans and AI increasingly intersect and complement each other in ways that challenge traditional notions of authority, decision-making, and responsibility.

Beyond Automation (The Dawn of Agentic Intelligence at Work)

The #FutureofWork is being revolutionized by the rise of Agentic AI—digital entities capable of independent action that go far beyond traditional automation. These sophisticated agents will not only manage complex machinery and oversee vast inventories, but also contribute creatively to product design, ushering in an "Agentic Economy" where AI agents themselves become tradable assets, managed by intricate "master agents." This profound shift promises to liberate the American workforce from the repetitive tasks of manufacturing and routine processes, allowing a crucial pivot towards higher-level strategic roles. These new roles will focus on overseeing AI outputs, ensuring their integrity and reliability, and addressing the complex ethical and societal challenges posed by increasingly autonomous systems in the American context.

The Algorithmic Underclass? Automation's Threat to Workforce Equity

The accelerating automation of routine tasks across various sectors in America is set to create a seismic shift, with Black, Brown, and women workers being disproportionately impacted. These groups have historically been overrepresented in roles involving repetitive manual labor, administrative tasks, and customer service—positions that are highly vulnerable to automation through AI and robotics. As a result, they face a heightened risk of job displacement and economic insecurity. This shift could deepen existing racial and gender wage gaps, limit opportunities for economic advancement, and necessitate targeted interventions to ensure equitable access to retraining, upskilling, and the creation of new, inclusive opportunities in the evolving job market. Without proactive measures, this technological transformation could exacerbate societal inequalities and slow progress toward a more equitable workforce in America.

The Currency of Trust in the Age of Autonomy

As businesses increasingly delegate control to AI for high-speed, agile processes, it will be essential to cultivate trust in the reliability and efficacy of these autonomous systems among the workforce and end-users. This challenge goes beyond technical performance, as it involves building confidence in AI's decision-making processes. As a result, roles dedicated to AI auditing, ensuring transparency in algorithmic processes, and creating robust frameworks for human-AI collaboration will become critical. These positions will serve as a bridge between human understanding and machine logic, ensuring that AI systems are accountable, ethical, and aligned with human values.

Navigating the Ethical and Human Landscape

The proliferation of autonomous systems raises pressing questions about job displacement and the ethical deployment of AI. This challenge is not merely technological but deeply societal. The key is to shift the perspective on AI from being a job destroyer to a human enhancer, augmenting our capabilities and liberating us from mundane tasks. This shift requires an urgent call for policymakers to develop regulations for responsible AI use, ethicists to guide its development, and workforce transition planners to facilitate reskilling and upskilling efforts. By ensuring a just and equitable transition, we can help workers adapt to the AI-driven economy and foster a future where technology complements human potential.

Sophisticated algorithms are doing more than automating routine tasks — they are fundamentally redefining job roles and organizational structures. As businesses increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making for hiring, task allocation, and performance evaluation, we are witnessing a deep restructuring of how work is organized and managed. This transformation points toward the disaggregation of traditional jobs into smaller, specialized micro-tasks that are coordinated and optimized by AI systems. As a result, the boundaries of job descriptions are blurring, making flexibility, continuous learning, and digital fluency essential traits for workers navigating the new landscape of work.

The evolving relationship between humans and artificial intelligence in the workplace highlights the increasing integration of AI-powered tools that collaborate with human workers, automate communication, and even oversee tasks. This shift raises critical questions about trust, accountability, and the changing dynamics of workplace teams, as the roles of humans and AI increasingly intersect and complement each other in ways that challenge traditional notions of authority, decision-making, and responsibility.

The #FutureofWork is being revolutionized by the rise of Agentic AI—digital entities capable of independent action that go far beyond traditional automation. These sophisticated agents will not only manage complex machinery and oversee vast inventories, but also contribute creatively to product design, ushering in an “Agentic Economy” where AI agents themselves become tradable assets, managed by intricate “master agents.” This profound shift promises to liberate the American workforce from the repetitive tasks of manufacturing and routine processes, allowing a crucial pivot towards higher-level strategic roles. These new roles will focus on overseeing AI outputs, ensuring their integrity and reliability, and addressing the complex ethical and societal challenges posed by increasingly autonomous systems in the American context.

The accelerating automation of routine tasks across various sectors in America is set to create a seismic shift, with Black, Brown, and women workers being disproportionately impacted. These groups have historically been overrepresented in roles involving repetitive manual labor, administrative tasks, and customer service—positions that are highly vulnerable to automation through AI and robotics. As a result, they face a heightened risk of job displacement and economic insecurity. This shift could deepen existing racial and gender wage gaps, limit opportunities for economic advancement, and necessitate targeted interventions to ensure equitable access to retraining, upskilling, and the creation of new, inclusive opportunities in the evolving job market. Without proactive measures, this technological transformation could exacerbate societal inequalities and slow progress toward a more equitable workforce in America.

As businesses increasingly delegate control to AI for high-speed, agile processes, it will be essential to cultivate trust in the reliability and efficacy of these autonomous systems among the workforce and end-users. This challenge goes beyond technical performance, as it involves building confidence in AI’s decision-making processes. As a result, roles dedicated to AI auditing, ensuring transparency in algorithmic processes, and creating robust frameworks for human-AI collaboration will become critical. These positions will serve as a bridge between human understanding and machine logic, ensuring that AI systems are accountable, ethical, and aligned with human values.

The proliferation of autonomous systems raises pressing questions about job displacement and the ethical deployment of AI. This challenge is not merely technological but deeply societal. The key is to shift the perspective on AI from being a job destroyer to a human enhancer, augmenting our capabilities and liberating us from mundane tasks. This shift requires an urgent call for policymakers to develop regulations for responsible AI use, ethicists to guide its development, and workforce transition planners to facilitate reskilling and upskilling efforts. By ensuring a just and equitable transition, we can help workers adapt to the AI-driven economy and foster a future where technology complements human potential.

death of a job

join the conversation

#workredefined

The 9-to-5 and traditional work structures are rapidly evolving. Are you ready for the future? Join a community of forward-thinkers focused on the #FutureofWork. Subscribe to our mailing list for updates, actionable strategies, expert interviews, webinars, and a comprehensive roadmap to help you thrive in this new era. Step into the Future! 

death of a job

merchandise

Coming Soon

Coming Soon

Let's get in touch

For media, speaking or book signing inquiries, please email Anita Lane at Anita@SenseiCommunications.com
 

Death of a job

A book by Mike Johns