The AGI Games: May the jobs be ever in your favor

How to survive and thrive when machines get smarter

Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

You’ve probably seen the headlines..

Goldman Sachs: AI Could Replace 300 Million Jobs Worldwide by 2030

Anthropic CEO: AGI Could Arrive by 2026, Making AI 'Better Than Humans at Almost Everything

World Economic Forum: 41% of Companies Plan Workforce Cuts Due to AI by 2030, Entry-Level Jobs Hit Hardest

And while my initial responses would be “OK but how are they defining AGI” or “don’t fall for the clickbait,” that doesn’t do much to soothe one’s nerves or make one feel prepared.

When I was asked “For anyone who is weary or worried about the AI revolution, what would be your current advice to them?” recently, I broke it down into a few parts:

• Stay informed and connected.

• Build flexibility by learning how to integrate AI into your work.

• Empower and educate those who’ll feel the biggest impact - for me, that’s my nieces and nephew.

• Have a contingency plan.

• Cultivate a sense of prepared confidence.

But when I see Substackers comment on AGI flavored Notes/Posts, they want more specific and actionable steps to take. And I’ve been writing from a bit of a dubious slant, that it’s off in the distance if at all.

To take my own advice, asking when doesn’t matter if we’re not preparing at all. So I recognize that really good advice is the kind that stops your mind from turning today. Where anxiety flips into action. Where helplessness flips into empowerment.

For this post, let’s assume two things: AGI is coming, and in the most extreme scenario, machines could take the majority of human jobs. This isn’t about panic - it’s about focusing on the human skills, adaptability, and networks that will keep you resilient no matter how AGI unfolds.

Start Where You Are - Crawling Is How To Start

My first question to you, dear reader, is what feels manageable today?

Not sure where to start? Just pick one thing from this entire post - you don't need to do everything. Even small steps matter when millions of people take them.

If you've been avoiding AI, thinking that may slow its progress or that your avoidance is a form of protest, that does little to throw a wrench into well-funded product evolution.

Let’s start with a few small steps..

Stop Avoiding AI and Start Using It

From my post I, Fear we are all users of AI already. If you’re binging Netflix, streaming Spotify, scrolling social media, or writing on Substack, algorithms are already at work delivering you personalized recommendations.

So time to flip the script and use AI to help you, not capture your attention.

What this looks like in practice:

• Writers → spend 30 minutes a week in Claude or ChatGPT for research or draft help to build your learning-agility muscles.

• Teachers → test an AI tutoring tool to see its strengths and weaknesses and understand how humans and machines can complement each other.

• Marketers → play with AI image generators for concept development so you develop a “learning with AI” habit that survives any tool change.

I will be the first to say I don’t think any of us can achieve AI mastery, not when the builders/developers do not even know how AI “thinks.” But by taking a few baby steps, we develop learning agility and our "figure-it-out" muscles. This is helpful no matter what. The goal isn’t mastery - it’s strengthening skills that stay relevant even if AGI arrives.

Diversify Like Your Job Depends On It

Side hustles have been the name of the game for a few years now, it’s what’s been powering the gig economy. If the idea of a multi-hyphenate life - where multiple revenue streams free you from the prospect of being laid off “by the man” - sounds dreamy, let’s get into it.

Think of it less as “collecting jobs” and more as building multiple ways to create value.

What this means in practical terms:

• Pair AI with human-only skills. Instead of mastering prompt hacks that might vanish in a few years, get proficient at what machines struggle with: clear communication, building trust, creative leaps, leadership, and ethical judgment - skills that survive any AI wave.

• Build income streams that AI can’t easily touch. Tutoring, caregiving, local consulting, home repair, crafts, coaching, community organizing - work that requires a human presence and relationships that machines can’t replace.

• Think like an investor. Instead of betting your whole career on one role, place smaller bets: learn a portable skill, experiment with a side hustle, put money into industries likely to benefit from AI infrastructure (energy, data storage, chips, cybersecurity) so your bets remain relevant even as technology shifts.

• Grow your human network. Not your followers - your actual neighbors, colleagues, and friends. In a disruption scenario, the people who know and trust you become your strongest safety net. Community bonds are going to be critical in a robo-pocalypse. Half kidding, but only half.

Similar to working one’s “figure-it-out” muscles, these are smart life practices that also happen to be AGI-proof.

Expand Your Influence - From User to Activist

Crawling quickly? It’s time to walk.

As a marketer, I am privy to a lot of consumer research and feedback. And with all the scrutiny on AI companies, they’re going to operate like publicly traded companies. Meaning their optics and brand will come to the forefront. In fact, I think it’s already their only differentiator as model performance is all converging. Users and consumers have much more power than we realize - even in an AGI future, public pressure can shape corporate behavior.

Vote with Your Wallet (It's More Powerful Than You Think)

Because I believe brand is coming to the forefront, I made the deliberate choice to switch partners. Off with ChatGPT, on with Claude. A recurring theme I was finding in my writing about AI is that I admired their “safety first” mindset. Those creepy headlines about all the outrageous things AI can do? They come from Anthropic “red teams,” researchers deliberately pushing AI to its limits, a helpful exercise to determine where guardrails and fences need to be put. And early engagement helps set norms before AGI arrives.

Prefer ChatGPT? That’s OK. You can support OpenAI's paid tiers if you prefer their approach to alignment and user feedback.

You can also avoid companies that don't publish safety research or offer products that don’t align with your values. I will never subscribe to xAI’s Grok for many reasons, but also specifically because of its AI girlfriend Ani. (I’m not even going to give it more airtime here, just know it’s pretty gross.)

And while I recognize it’s a privilege to say this, it also means one should pay for the more ethical tool. To give a retail marketing example, consumers want their clothing brands to be sustainable but they don’t often want to pay for that premium. But that is putting a lot of trust and faith in a for-profit corporation to behave in humane ways.

The AI example? Pay for Grammarly Premium instead of using sketchy free writing tools with unclear data practices. If paying for premium tools isn't in your budget right now, that's OK - using free versions mindfully and sharing what you learn still contributes to the conversation. And also helps build human oversight habits that matter in an AGI world.

Talk to the People Building the Future

Activism doesn’t have a voice in avoidance. Here are some ways to tell the builders and lawmakers where you stand.

• Comment on NIST AI Risk Management Framework updates (they actually read public comments).

• Participate in Anthropic's model evaluations when they open them to public feedback.

  • Users can report safety issues, "jailbreaks," and similar concerns at usersafety@anthropic.com.

• Attend local AI meetups - search Meetup.com for "AI" + your city. Here’s some for San Francisco as an example.

Be the AI Mentor Your Community Needs

I don’t know how old you are and who in your circle is most vulnerable, but you can likely guess by taking a quick inventory.

Do your kids have a favorite teacher? Help that teacher learn to use AI tools rather than fear them so they build skills that stay relevant.

Do you have friends that are freelancers? Share AI writing/coding assistants with them before their clients discover them and show them how to integrate tools safely.

Know any junior marketing analysts, content coordinators, junior financial analysts, or anyone whose role is highly rote and routine? Mentor them to develop AI-enhanced skills that emphasize judgment and human insight, not just automation.

Being a good neighbor means being a good citizen. You can model this type of citizenship and help your community while you’re at it - skills that are inherently AGI-resistant.

Think Bigger - Time to Don the Cape

You’ve crawled, you’ve walked, but what if AI evolves faster than we all thought? It’s time to run, friend. And that also means putting on a cape.

What does this mean in practical terms? You can advocate for Universal Basic Income policies, support retraining programs in your community, and join or start local discussions about AI governance.

Does this sound daunting? I hear you. How about supporting the folks already doing this work?

If you can afford to donate, here is a worthy non-profit beneficiary:

The Electronic Frontier Foundation focuses on digital rights advocacy and current AI policy challenges - things like algorithmic bias, surveillance, and worker rights. While they don’t focus on speculative AGI scenarios, they’re fighting the tangible harms AI is causing today.

(EFF has maintained Charity Navigator’s highest possible 4-star rating for over eleven years running, with a 93% accountability and finance score.)

And here are also some voices to follow and cheer on in their quests. I’m even linking LinkedIn here because it’s for a noble cause.

Individual Leaders:

• Stuart Russell (UC Berkeley, Go Bears!) - Leading AI safety researcher, author of "Human Compatible"

• Max Tegmark (MIT/Future of Life Institute) - Organizes AI policy letters and governance efforts

• Timnit Gebru - Independent AI researcher focused on ethics and justice

• Cathy O'Neil - Author of "Weapons of Math Destruction," algorithmic fairness advocate

Closing Thoughts

The headlines that opened this post might make you feel helpless. But you're not.

Every time you learn a new AI tool, support a responsible company, or help someone in your community adapt, you're actively shaping how this transformation unfolds. And building skills that survive any AI scenario.

If you read this far, you're already ahead of most people. Taking time to think about these issues is the first step toward shaping them.

The goal isn't to predict everything, but to know you can handle whatever comes. That's prepared confidence in action. Resilience that matters even if AGI arrives sooner than expected.

This is building agility, resilience, and community - skills that remain profoundly human. They’ll help you navigate whatever version of AGI materializes, because judgment, ethics, creativity, and social bonds are still ours to wield.

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As you start using AI tools more, consider their environmental impact too - every prompt has a footprint.