💼 The One Job AI Can’t Replace, Says the 77-Year-Old Godfather of AI

Before we dive in, here’s what you need to know:

✅ Who: Geoffrey Hinton, 77-year-old computer scientist and AI pioneer, often dubbed the “Godfather of AI”

✅ What: Claims that plumbing and similar skilled trade jobs are safe from AI takeover

✅ When: Shared recently on The Diary of a CEO podcast

✅ Where: Discussed globally, with AI’s impact on jobs being felt everywhere

✅ Why: Because these roles involve complex physical problem-solving — something AI still struggles to master

Let’s be honest.

When we talk about the future of work, you probably think of sleek offices, endless Zooms, and maybe a robot assistant that does your taxes.

But Geoffrey Hinton—the very man whose research helped birth modern AI—thinks plumbers will outlast programmers.

In a recent interview, he emphasized that skilled, physical jobs are not going extinct anytime soon.

Unlike law or accounting (which are mostly data and pattern-based), plumbing is unpredictable, hands-on, and wonderfully analog.

Let’s break this down into what makes jobs “AI-proof”:

🛠️ Physical Dexterity & Real-World Chaos

AI can write code. It can compose music.

But climb under a sink to fix a 1980s pipe system with a mystery leak? Not a chance.

• Every house is a snowflake 🏠

• Every problem is messy 💩

• Every fix requires human judgment 👨‍🔧

💡 No Perfect Data Set

AI needs structured, repeatable data to learn.

There’s no universal blueprint for every weird plumbing problem in existence.

🧩 Problem-Solving That’s Embodied

Plumbers don’t just follow instructions.

They adapt, react, and often improvise under pressure.

This is embodied cognition — a fancy term meaning your brain and body work together to solve problems. And no, ChatGPT doesn’t have a spine.

He's not joking. While the white-collar world panics over automation, the blue-collar trades might just be our most future-proof jobs.

Here’s where it gets real.

If AI is gobbling up jobs that live inside laptops, maybe we’ve been overvaluing keyboard skills — and undervaluing practical intelligence.

Think about it:

• Who’s more resilient? The spreadsheet warrior... or the guy who can fix your hot water at 3AM?

• Which skill set is more resistant to automation: memorizing case law or rerouting a busted pipe in a crawlspace?

A quick, no-fluff action plan based on this edition’s insights:

🧭 Reevaluate what “smart” work looks like

• Intelligence isn’t just digital. Respect and explore practical skills too.

🛠️ Consider hybrid careers

• Mix physical and cognitive skills: design-smart trades, tech-enabled artisanship, etc.

👀 Future-proof your value

• Focus on what AI can’t replicate:

  • Adaptability

  • Empathy

  • Physical skill

  • Creativity in chaos

🎓 Educate with hands-on skills

• Push for more vocational training in education, not just screen-based learning.

💬 Rethink career advice for the next generation

• “Learn to code” is useful. But maybe “learn to wire a circuit or fix a pipe” is even better.

🌍 Respect the work that keeps the world running

• AI might write poems, but humans fix leaks. We’ll always need both.

🧠 Think Ahead With AI

Because the best way to thrive with AI... is to double down on being brilliantly human.

🔁 Share this with someone who’s worried about the future of work. Or your local plumber — they’ve earned it. 💪

At Think Ahead With AI, we believe the future belongs to those who embrace change, think critically, and build skills AI can’t replicate. That’s why we’re launching the Young Global Leaders Lab — a bold new initiative to empower the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and ethical tech thinkers.

🔹 We're bringing together youth leaders from around the world.

🔹 We're focusing on future-proof skills, including creative problem-solving, ethical decision-making, and real-world innovation.

🔹 We're bridging the gap between technology and human potential.

This is more than a program — it's a movement. 🌍

And it starts now.

Join us as we shape the leaders AI will work with, not replace.

1. GPT-4 (ChatGPT by OpenAI)

   • 💼 Use case: Automates writing, research, customer support, and more

   • 📉 Jobs impacted: Writers, researchers, legal assistants

   • 💡 Why it matters: It's revolutionizing knowledge work—but can't replace hands-on trades

1. AutoGPT / AgentGPT

   • 🧾 Use case: Autonomous AI agents that execute multi-step tasks like market research or report generation

   • 🤖 Jobs impacted: Virtual assistants, analysts, low-level management roles

   • 🔧 Limit: Still completely virtual—no hands, no wrench

1. Sana AI

   • 🎓 Use case: Corporate learning assistant that customizes onboarding and training

   • 🏫 Jobs impacted: HR training specialists, internal comms

   • ✅ Upside: Helps train skilled workers but doesn't replace them

1. DALL·E 3 (OpenAI)

   • 🎨 Use case: Image and visual content generation

   • 🖼️ Jobs impacted: Graphic design, ad creatives

   • 🔧 Relevance: Great for designing plumbing logos—not so much for being a plumber

1. Peltarion / RunwayML (Low-Code AI Platforms)

   • 🛠️ Use case: Create custom AI workflows without coding

   • 👨‍💻 Jobs impacted: Business analysts, data workers

   • 🧠 Insight: These tools empower humans to integrate AI, not replace the physical labor of trade work

Even the best AI tools still need you to build, fix, and feel the world.

Automation is rising, but so is the value of human hands + real-world intelligence.

Let me know if you’d like a visual infographic or AI tool comparison table for this list!

1. Godfather of AI highlights plumbing as safest job

2. Economic Times: Hinton’s existential alarm & plumbing advice

3. WSJ: AI platforms are now servicing plumbers & electricians

4. Scotland expert: skilled trades safe from AI takeover

5. Fast Company: AI-enhanced in-field skills training

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Gen. AI Explorer