I have four boys between the ages of 21 and 13. Watching them grow up right now makes one thing very clear: they are entering adulthood during one of the biggest technological shifts in modern history.
Every generation experiences a defining technology shift.
My grandparents lived through the rise of railroads and industrial manufacturing. My parents watched commercial aviation shrink the world. My generation saw the internet transform how information flows.
Artificial intelligence may be the next transformation of that scale.
Why this feels personal
When you are a parent, technology trends stop being abstract.
You start asking practical questions:
- What careers will exist when my kids graduate?
- What skills will actually matter?
- What should they be learning right now?
Those questions are becoming urgent as AI rapidly improves.
The job market is already shifting
Research from organizations like McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and the World Economic Forum suggests the economic impact could be massive.
- Generative AI could add $2.6–$4.4 trillion annually to the global economy.
- Up to 300 million jobs worldwide may be exposed to automation.
- The World Economic Forum projects 83 million jobs displaced by 2027 while 69 million new roles will emerge.
History suggests this pattern is normal. Technology destroys some jobs while creating entirely new categories of work. The challenge is the transition between those two worlds.
Human capital has always had to adapt
Economists describe workforce capability through something called human capital; the knowledge, skills, and abilities people accumulate that make them productive.
As technology changes, the type of human capital that matters changes too.
- Railroads increased demand for engineering and logistics.
- Assembly lines created manufacturing specialization.
- The internet created demand for software and digital communication.
AI may be shifting demand toward something else entirely.
In simple terms, AI is essentially the most powerful autocomplete system humanity has ever built. That sounds simple, but when applied to knowledge work it becomes extremely powerful.
So what skills actually matter?
If AI can produce answers instantly, what abilities will create value?
As both a coach and a father, I keep coming back to three.
- Problem framing: deciding what questions are worth asking.
- Judgment: evaluating outcomes and making decisions under uncertainty.
- Curiosity: continuously exploring and experimenting.
AI may generate information, but humans still decide what problems matter and it best applies.
Technology shifts don't eliminate opportunity
Every major technological revolution initially creates fear. But history shows the economy reorganizes around new productivity.
The railroad didn't eliminate work. It moved opportunity.
The internet didn't eliminate work. It multiplied opportunity.
AI will likely accelerate opportunity for those who learn how to work with it.
The advice I give my kids
- Learn how systems work.
- Develop strong judgment.
- Build things that solve real problems.
- Stay curious longer than everyone else.
If history is any guide, the people who learn to use transformational technology early are the ones who create the most opportunity.
And if my kids are paying attention, they might grow up during one of the most fascinating moments in history to build, learn, and create.