Artificial intelligence (AI) has been the focus of pop culture for decades, with endless movie plots questioning if and when machines will take over the world. Movies like “The Terminator” (1984), preyed on humanity's fear that robots would be better than humans. Twenty years later, the movie “I, Robot” (2004) showed us a future where robots take over public service positions and conspire to enslave the human race, only further fueling a fear of the rise of machines.

Today, AI-powered technology is rapidly transforming the business landscape, with autonomous platforms and software designed to remove manual, time-consuming work while drastically speeding up processes, content creation, and complex decision-making. As AI establishes a foothold in more and more industries, people are wondering how the technology influx will impact human workers and employment. 

It doesn’t help when prominent figures in the innovation world such as Elon Musk, Tesla founder and a founding member of OpenAI, make grand statements about AI taking all of our jobs. Without any context, this can be alarming, but Musk further explained that he believes occupations requiring emotional intelligence and creativity will still be in high demand. 

Will a robot take my job?

Many activities that workers carry out today have the potential to be automated, so will robots take over the labor force and increase an already high unemployment rate? People living in the 18th century probably felt the same way during the Industrial Revolution.

A report from McKinsey found that one-third of the jobs we have today didn't even exist 25 years ago. So even as AI replaces workers in some occupations that are manual, task-oriented, or monotonous, new job functions will be created.

The most recent Future of Jobs Report (2025) by the World Economic Forum projects that by 2030, global employers expect 170 million new jobs to be created and 92 million existing jobs to be displaced, resulting in a net gain of 78 million jobs (a 7% increase in total employment) compared to today’s workforce.

According to the World Economic Forum, by 2027, machines are expected to handle about 42% of work tasks, taking over routine activities while humans focus on higher-value, cognitive work, a shift that’s steadily moving us toward human-machine collaboration and the evolving future of work with AI.

We are already working through these changes in the workplace, and more people will have to work with technology, but robots will not take over the labor force as new jobs are generated. One of the main goals for employers should be to find a balance between tasks that need to be done by humans that require high cognitive thinking and strategic decision-making, and those that are well-suited to be done by machines. Business leaders have an important role in this evolution and need to start identifying upskilling opportunities for team members now, to train and elevate human capital before it’s too late.

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Some of AI’s main benefits are automation fueled by higher output levels, better quality of work, and fewer accidental errors. However, just because something is intelligent doesn't mean the AI is qualified to execute certain jobs or tasks.

Are robots, machines, and AI coming for your job?

While manufacturing industries “employ” 82 percent of industrial robots, there will be a shift in repetitive tasks like data entry, even for these machine-driven verticals. AI will do the mundane data entry, but AI in accounting and finance will still rely on humans for interpretation, compliance, and oversight.

Even if or when AI algorithms could handle extremely complex data science, someone will still need to program and oversee the algorithms operationally, and test and improve them. Even though a quality AI algorithm is in place, it will still need to be maintained to make sure everything is running as anticipated or to be able to improve upon learnings. In fact, the social platform X already employs humans to help machines make sense of the information they're aggregating to ensure its accuracy, and the context of suggested content makes sense for every user.

Further, AI can't read and process human emotions yet, and interactions are limited, even with the latest AI “assistants” and personalities. Banking often relies on professional business relationships when it comes to making large transactions or fraud prevention. Personalized service is critical for many industries, such as consulting, which means the human touch will hardly be replaced by robots. And, in all industries, managers leading projects through many moving pieces, stakeholders, deadlines, and budgets will still be needed to make decisions and apply insight on the fly.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accountants, forensic scientists, geological technicians, technical writers, MRI operators, dietitians, financial specialists, web developers, psychologists, loan officers, medical secretaries, and customer service representatives can all expect a positive impact from AI job growth and the adoption of intelligent systems.

Factors impacting the adoption of AI and automation

Very few occupations can be 100 percent automated at the current level of AI innovation and technological advancements. As machines and algorithms get more advanced, the adoption of automation in finance and other industries will speed up.

However, even if when it's technically possible to automate a work process, it might not always be the best way forward. The decision often depends on cost, complexity, and business goals.

Factors that make a difference:

• High implementation costs: Developing and deploying AI-powered automation can be expensive.
• Human value remains strong: Skilled workers may still be more cost-effective than automation in many cases.
• Technology access: Factors such as high-speed mobile internet and the growth of cloud infrastructure also shape adoption rates.

The human-AI future

All things considered, the future might be most accurately portrayed in the Academy Award-winning movie “Ex-Machina,” where a programmer is hired to perform tests on an intelligent humanoid robot.

Machines will be intertwined with humans at the workplace, and if professionals embrace new technologies and adapt their skill sets, there will be more opportunities and potential career pathways, and even more fulfilling work as the monotony and repetitive work is left to the computer.

This truly defines the future of work with AI, where human-machine collaboration drives innovation and efficiency.

Three AI considerations for employers 

As companies adapt to an AI-driven future, a few key considerations can help leaders guide their teams through change, starting with these three:

1.) Break down job functions into smaller tasks. Identify which activities can be automated to help employees focus their time on more strategic, creative, or rewarding work.‍

2.) Define clear process requirements. Before implementing automation, document the necessary inputs, expected outputs, and success measures to create a smooth transition.

3.) Embrace change as a driver of progress. Encourage a culture that views technology as a partner in growth. Change is inevitable, and with the right mindset, it can open the door to innovation and opportunity.

Keeping AI accountable as we look forward

Even with all the momentum and investment in AI, some business leaders and employees are still hesitant to trust AI to “do the job”. Many professionals are wondering, “Can I trust the AI software I purchase?” and “How will I know it’s doing what it’s supposed to do?” As investments are made, and technology is implemented, there are a few ways business leaders can hold AI accountable:

1.) Having scrutiny over the foundational data used to train the AI

2.) Understanding how the AI algorithms work with systems and data

3.) Consistently reviewing outputs and accuracy to optimize over time

4.) Feeding the AI corrections and adjustments as needed to improve accuracy

5.) Welcoming feedback from software users and line-of-business workers

Explore our 10 Step Hyperautomation Guide to discover how to evaluate, audit, and implement trustworthy finance automation software across your workflows.

The human advantage at Vic.ai

As AI continues to evolve, it’s becoming clear that the technology isn’t here to take over jobs; it’s here to transform them.

Across industries, intelligent systems are handling repetitive, time-consuming tasks so that people can focus on the work that truly requires human judgment, creativity, and collaboration. This is the future of work with AI.

That’s exactly the vision behind Vic.ai.

Our autonomous finance platform helps accounting and finance teams move beyond manual processes like invoice handling and approvals, giving professionals more time for creative financial analysis, smarter decisions, and strategic work.

Instead of replacing finance roles, AI acts as a digital teammate - one that learns, adapts, and supports human expertise, driving the true transformation of AI in accounting.

To see how AI can enhance your finance operations firsthand, book a demo with our team.

FAQs

1. Why is AI overhyped?

AI is overhyped because its real abilities, data processing and automation, are often mistaken for human-level intelligence. It still depends on humans for judgment, creativity, and ethical decision-making.

2. What jobs will AI never replace?

AI won’t replace roles needing empathy, creativity, or complex judgment - like teachers, therapists, leaders, and relationship-driven finance professionals.

3. How will AI change the future of work?

AI will automate repetitive tasks, create new tech-driven roles, and shift focus toward human creativity, analysis, and strategic decision-making.

4. How can businesses prepare their workforce for the rise of AI?

For the rise of AI, businesses should upskill teams in digital literacy, data analysis, and AI collaboration to enhance productivity and adapt to automation.

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This article originally published in June 2022, and was updated January 2026.