Impact of AI on Entrepreneurs

The Future is Here
(4 min read)
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The disruptions are beginning. We are on the cusp of another leap in acceptance and advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Reports are increasing of "enterprise" (large-scale) employers not hiring and letting AI use evolve among employees. Employees aren't necessarily being trained in ways to use AI, but are expected to "figure it out" and be productive in using it. 

Early Reports
Paul Roetzer has shared recent podcasts of The Artificial Intelligence Show compiling news from AI developers about the increasing usefulness and "intelligence" of AI. Employers are staking a claim they simply will not hire until staff demonstrates a human need that AI is unable to fulfill. People are being urged to be prepared to be "AI Supervisors," overseeing AI tools or "agents" to ensure output is accurate and ready to share with a human-centered voice. Employers are proclaiming they are "AI First" more than "AI Forward." Refer to this May 6, 2025 blog post by Mike Kaput for specifics. 

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic (home of Claude AI), was interviewed May 28, 2025 in Axios and it has gotten everyone's attention. He predicts AI will soon eliminate half of all entry level jobs within the next couple of years. (mic drop) He predicts US unemployment could reach 10-20% with the impact on white-collar jobs. So much for the benefit of that college degree. 

Where to from Here?
There has to be a way to prepare ourselves and our children for this unsettled future. I have two college students nearing graduation. I recall when I was graduating college years ago the doom & gloom predictions about the job market, and that was before the advent of AI. That part isn't new. But we really seem to be on the precipice of new territory as much as the development of AI has been pushed.

Human First
Consider jobs or at least aspects of jobs you enjoy that require a human touch, interaction, or synthesis. Those will continue to need humans. A massage therapist and many in healthcare use hands to treat. 

AI currently is computer-based. The introduction of robots - machines who will do things - will add a different wrinkle not addressed in this post. Physical activities will remain human in the near-future. 

Become AI Educated
Training abounds and is increasing in how to use AI tools, many free or very affordable. Find those. Invest in the time to get comfortable with AI tools and resources. Play and practice with various AI tools. Be curious. Explore. Be prepared to be a leader, supervisor, or synthesizer of AI tools and output, validating and verifying information generated. 

Become an Entrepreneur!
As more "traditional" jobs go away, the opportunities will abound for non-traditional roles. This is an amazing time to start your own business and go in unexpected directions! Find unfilled needs and be the one to fill them. Take courses including webinars, read books, listen to podcasts - much is available for free. 

Different Way of Thinking
It's all well and good to start thinking outside of the box and strive to blaze your own trails, but the entrepreneur role tends to be patchy, "gig" based, and project oriented. You pull many single or limited number projects together to create your income. Marketing is continual on top of the workload. There is "back shop" work to be done on any business to keep finances, taxes, and project planning (your calendar and your sanity!) in order.

Plan on Challenges + Time
Marketing and the business of your business are not intuitive. Most of us were not trained in such things, so there's a learning curve. Plan on a minimum of three years to start to see a return on proceeding down this path. That doesn't get the immediate bills paid when you're facing sudden job loss.

Start building that emergency fund and nest egg to offset this transition. Work on educating yourself and do market analysis while you're working to build a "side job" that may well become your fully entrepreneurial job. 

AI Will Impact All Jobs
There's really no way around it. AI will disrupt the job market - it's beginning already. None of us can plan on decades at the same job. Jobs, whether through an employer or on your own as an entrepreneur, are likely to be cobbled together - many part-time roles strung together. Creativity will become a must for how you position yourself - identify your skill set, quantify successes, and think broadly about job titles. 

Some current entrepreneurial roles will become absorbed by AI. However, many other opportunities await, perfect for those with an entrepreneurial spirit willing to put in time and effort, predominantly focusing on talking to people or partnering with others. SmarterX (Paul Roetzer) offers a number of tools to help you analyze jobs, tasks, and problems using ChatGPT. 

If you'd like someone to talk through ideas and talk strategy if you're considering an entrepreneurial adventure, I'd be thrilled to chat! Let's Chat by email or find me on LinkedIn and message me. 

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