Note: This article is taken from my upcoming book “Ada + Cerise = an AI Journey” (Where AI meets humanity), where understanding and popularizing AI come to life through fiction. Ada is a nod to Ada Lovelace, a visionary mathematician and the world’s first programmer. And Cerise is my 17-year-old daughter, my sounding board for testing ideas and simplifying concepts—just as Richard Feynman would have done.
History repeats itself. With each major technological revolution, the same fear resurfaces: that of seeing machines replace humans. From the looms of the industrial revolution to today’s robots, this fear spans centuries. Yet history shows us a reality that is far more nuanced and promising. Innovation doesn’t simply destroy jobs, it transforms them and creates new ones, often more enriching and creative than those it replaces.
Today, faced with artificial intelligence, we find ourselves at a similar pivotal moment. Alarming headlines multiply, predicting the end of work as we know it. But what does the history of previous technological revolutions really teach us? And more importantly, what does it reveal about our capacity to reinvent ourselves in the face of change?
Learning from past revolutions
“Cerise,” said Ada, “did you know that 18th-century weavers thought that looms would destroy their lives? Today, we remember them as pioneers of a new industrial era.” Intrigued, Cerise delved into history to discover that each technological revolution had generated not only fears, but also unprecedented opportunities. What could the past teach us about the future of AI?
The history of technological revolutions reads like a great book of human metamorphoses, where each chapter reveals our extraordinary capacity for adaptation and reinvention. The account of past industrial transformations offers us more than a simple mirror—it unveils a true cartography of our collective resilience in the face of change.
Take the emblematic example of mechanical looms. Beyond the Luddite troubles that marked their introduction, these machines catalyzed a profound transformation of the textile industry. Artisan weavers didn’t simply disappear; they metamorphosed. From their ancestral knowledge were born the first textile engineers, industrial pattern designers, mechanical maintenance specialists. This first industrial revolution didn’t so much destroy jobs as it redistributed the cards of human expertise, creating previously unimaginable possibilities.
The history of printing offers a striking parallel. Gutenberg’s invention certainly tolled the death knell for monk scribes, but it simultaneously gave birth to an entire ecosystem of new trades: typographers, proofreaders, publishers, booksellers… More than simple automation, it was a complete reinvention of our relationship to knowledge and its transmission.
The more recent case of automatic teller machines perfectly illustrates this dynamic of transformation. Their deployment in the 1960s crystallized the fears of a profession that already saw itself as obsolete. Yet history followed a more subtle path. Bank tellers didn’t evaporate; they evolved. The automation of basic transactions freed their human potential, allowing them to reinvent themselves as financial advisors, wealth management experts, customer relations specialists. A mutation that perfectly illustrates how the automation of repetitive tasks can catalyze the emergence of more enriching roles, more centered on emotional intelligence and human expertise.
These historical transformations follow a fascinating pattern: first fear and resistance, then a period of often painful transition, and finally the emergence of a new paradigm richer in possibilities. Each wave of technological innovation has thus enriched the palette of available jobs, often creating more employment than it eliminated. It’s not so much creative destruction as a continuous metamorphosis of our relationship to work.
An actor in current transformation
“Do you notice what AI does for you daily, Cerise?” asked Ada. “I sort your emails, plan your schedule, and optimize your routes. But imagine if I could also help you push your creative limits.” Cerise raised an eyebrow. “But then, where is my place in all this?” she asked. “Precisely,” replied Ada, “your place is where I cannot go: in imagination, empathy, and human vision.“
Artificial intelligence doesn’t simply represent a new stage in the long history of technological innovations; it embodies a more subtle and profound metamorphosis of our relationship to work. Unlike previous revolutions that primarily automated physical gestures, AI ventures into the terrain of cognition itself, redrawing the boundaries between human thought and mechanical calculation.
In the medical field, this transformation takes on a particularly revealing dimension. AI doesn’t merely analyze X-rays with statistical precision; it redefines the very practice of radiology. Far from making radiologists obsolete, it frees them from repetitive detection tasks to allow them to concentrate on the fine interpretation of complex cases, dialogue with patients, interdisciplinary collaboration. Medical expertise is thus not diminished but augmented, enriched with a new dimension where human intuition marries the analytical power of the algorithm.
This synergy between human and machine also manifests in domains one might have thought impermeable to automation. The creative sector, long considered the impregnable bastion of human expression, sees unprecedented collaborations emerging. “Prompt engineers,” these new architects of human-machine dialogue, illustrate the emergence of a form of digital craftsmanship where human creativity expresses itself through fine understanding of algorithmic possibilities.
In the legal world, AI transforms the practice of law without denaturing it. Jurisprudential analysis algorithms don’t replace lawyer judgment; they enrich it by allowing them to explore thousands of precedents more quickly, detect subtle legal patterns, refine their argumentation strategies. The modern jurist thus becomes a fascinating hybrid, combining traditional rigor of legal reasoning with an augmented capacity for analysis and synthesis.
This transformation even touches relational professions one might have thought sheltered. Customer service representatives, far from being replaced by chatbots, evolve toward more complex roles of problem-solving and personalized support. The automation of basic interactions allows them to concentrate on situations that truly require empathy, creativity, and human judgment.
AI thus acts as a revealer, highlighting what makes human intelligence irreducibly specific. It pushes us to develop and value what makes us uniquely human: our capacity for empathy, our contextual creativity, our ability to manage ambiguity and make complex ethical decisions. More than a simple automation tool, it becomes a catalyst for our own professional evolution.
The creation of new jobs
Ada launched: “Cerise, have you heard of this new job, prompt engineer? It’s fascinating.” “Engineer in what?” she replied, bewildered. “It’s someone who perfects interactions with AIs like me,” explained Ada. “Ten years ago, this job didn’t even exist, and today, it’s becoming essential in many sectors.” This revelation sparked a question: how many more jobs will emerge thanks to AI?
MIT’s figures resonate like an echo of the future in our present: 60% of current jobs didn’t exist 80 years ago. This dizzying statistic invites us to profound reflection on the very nature of work. Employment isn’t a finite resource we compete for in a zero-sum game, but rather a garden in perpetual bloom, where new forms of expertise emerge as others transform.
This metamorphosis of the professional landscape manifests with particular eloquence in the field of renewable energy. The solar energy designer, a profession unimaginable a few decades ago, perfectly embodies this fusion between environmental consciousness and technical expertise. Their role transcends simple installation of solar panels; they orchestrate a complex symphony where aesthetic considerations, energy efficiency, and ecological sustainability intertwine.
In the field of digital ethics, new guardians emerge. AI ethicists, true philosopher-engineers of the 21st century, navigate the troubled waters of algorithmic morality. Their mission isn’t simply technical; they are the architects of a new social contract between humanity and its digital creations. They must anticipate the ethical consequences of automated systems, guarantee their transparency, and ensure that AI remains a tool serving the common good.
Blockchain has given birth to its own specialties, creating an entirely new professional ecosystem. “Smart Contract Auditors” combine expertise in cryptography, understanding of economic mechanisms, and strategic vision to secure tomorrow’s transactions. These new digital notaries perfectly illustrate how a technological innovation can generate professions that reinvent ancestral societal functions.
In the field of digital health, “Digital Health Experience Designers” reinvent the interface between medicine and technology. Their role goes well beyond simple app design; they are the architects of a new therapeutic experience, where massive data and human contact combine to create personalized and empathetic care pathways.
The emergence of the “Chief Metaverse Officer” in certain companies testifies to our entry into an era where the boundaries between real and virtual become more porous. These strategists of a new kind must anticipate how organizations will evolve in spaces that don’t yet exist, imagining collaboration and interaction modes still unknown.
These new professions aren’t simple variations of existing roles; they represent the emergence of entirely new professional territories. Each combines cutting-edge technical skills with profoundly human qualities: creativity, empathy, ethical vision. They remind us that technological innovation, far from dehumanizing work, can create spaces where human expertise expresses itself in richer and more complex ways.
Augmented intelligence, a human-machine symphony
“Ada, sometimes I wonder if we’re not taking the wrong path by systematically opposing artificial intelligence and human intelligence,” murmured Cerise while adjusting the parameters of a new algorithm. “It’s as if we’re seeking to create a rival rather than a partner in our evolution.” Ada remained silent for a moment, as if probing the depth of this reflection. “It’s fascinating that you bring this up, Cerise. Shouldn’t we see our relationship as a subtle dance, where each partner enriches the other’s movements?“
In an era where algorithms rival human intelligence performance in ever-broader domains, a fundamental truth emerges: our irreplaceability doesn’t reside in our capacity to process information, but in our unique ability to weave meaning into the complexity of the real. This fertile alliance between technology and humanity sketches the contours of a new paradigm: that of Augmented Intelligence, where human-machine synergy becomes a source of mutual amplification.
Emotional intelligence, this subtle capacity to read between the lines of human interactions, paradoxically proves more precious as AI progresses. A manager doesn’t simply analyze performance data; they perceive the unspoken, understand team dynamics, inspire and guide their collaborators. This intuitive understanding of human complexities remains the preserve of an intelligence forged in the crucible of millions of years of social evolution.
This approach transcends simplistic dichotomies to invite us into more fertile territory. Like the musician with their instrument, one doesn’t replace the other; they sublimate each other mutually. Augmented Intelligence acts like a prism that decomposes and amplifies our natural talents: where our creativity expresses itself, it multiplies exploration possibilities; where our empathy operates, it enriches our understanding of complex situations.
Critical thinking, this faculty of nuanced judgment that allows navigation in ambiguity, asserts itself as a fundamental competency. Faced with complex situations where data is incomplete or contradictory, humans can mobilize their experience, intuition, and ethical sense to make enlightened decisions. This capacity for discernment, which integrates moral, cultural, and contextual considerations, goes far beyond the framework of algorithmic analysis.
Forward-thinking companies have understood this well, developing programs that don’t simply aim to adapt their employees to AI tools, but to cultivate these profoundly human qualities. From emotional intelligence workshops to collaborative creativity sessions, these initiatives recognize that the future belongs to those who will know how to orchestrate this symphony between human and artificial capabilities.
This vision of augmentation rather than replacement resonates deeply with our nature as learning and creative beings. It suggests a future where technology doesn’t erase the human but sublimates them, where each algorithmic advance becomes an invitation to explore new territories of our own potential.
“It’s fascinating,” reflected Cerise aloud, “how what seemed to be a threat can become an opportunity for evolution.” “Indeed,” replied Ada, “the future belongs neither to machines nor to humans alone, but to those who will know how to create harmony between the two.“
Democratizing the future
“Ada, will all humans really have their place in this augmented world?” asked Cerise, preoccupied by a thought that had been troubling her for some time. “I see colleagues who already struggle to keep up with the pace of technological mutations, others who feel excluded from this revolution…“
Artificial intelligence, in its dazzling ascent, draws an invisible cartography of new social fractures. This technological revolution, bearer of vertiginous promises, paradoxically risks deepening the chasms it claims to bridge if we don’t orchestrate it with wisdom and discernment. The question of equity in access to future opportunities now poses itself as a fundamental ethical imperative.
Contemporary digital divide transcends the simple question of access to technological tools. It reveals a deeper stratification of our social fabric, where territorial inequalities, generations, and socio-economic disparities intertwine. In connected metropolises, some already navigate with ease on the waves of augmented intelligence, while others, in less privileged territories, contemplate with anxiety this ship of progress that seems to move inexorably away.
Faced with this challenge, promising initiatives emerge that sketch the contours of a true cognitive democracy. “Digital mediators,” new knowledge brokers, weave bridges between connected and disconnected worlds. In working-class neighborhoods, “digital inclusion laboratories” become beacons of hope, offering not only technical training but also human accompaniment in this crossing toward the future.
Pioneer companies have understood this, developing “reverse mentoring” programs where young digital natives accompany their elders in this transformation, thus creating intergenerational bridges. “Mutual learning guilds” flourish, hybrid spaces where technical knowledge and practical wisdom are exchanged, in a logic of reciprocal transmission.
Social protection is also reinventing itself at the dawn of this augmented era. How to accompany professional transitions without leaving anyone on the shore of progress? Bold experiments with “digital transition income” are emerging, offering workers the temporal and mental space necessary to reinvent themselves. “Augmented reconversion architects” develop tailor-made approaches, paradoxically using AI itself to identify bridges between yesterday’s skills and tomorrow’s jobs.
“But then,” reflected Cerise aloud, “wouldn’t the most fundamental innovation be first social before being technological?” Ada paused meditatively before responding: “Indeed. Technology is only an instrument; it’s the social score we choose to play that will determine whether it becomes a symphony of emancipation or a cacophony of divisions.“
This democratization of digital knowledge doesn’t simply represent an imperative of social equity; it becomes the fertile ground from which a new form of collective consciousness emerges. For it’s precisely in this mosaic of shared experiences, in this alchemy between different generations and cultures, that our collective capacity to apprehend the post-AI world is forged.
The dawn of a new collective consciousness
“What does it take to prosper in this post-AI world?” Cerise asked Ada one day, still inhabited by their exchanges on intergenerational transmission of knowledge. “Adaptability, creativity, and above all solid ethics,” replied the assistant. “This world will be shaped as much by the diversity of our human experiences as by the power of machines. But beware, Cerise: the more powerful AI becomes, the more crucial it becomes to guide it with a consciousness enlightened by this emerging collective intelligence.“
The expression “post-AI era” describes this pivotal moment when our society begins to move beyond initial fears to build enlightened governance of these technologies. This profound mutation requires a reinvention of our institutional paradigms and frameworks of thought.
Academic institutions find themselves facing an unprecedented challenge: training not for specific jobs, but for permanent adaptability. Universities are rethinking their programs around a “meta-competency”: the capacity to learn, unlearn, and relearn throughout one’s professional life.
At the level of global governance, new fundamental questions emerge: How to ensure equitable distribution of AI benefits? How to harmonize regulations at international scale? How to preserve cultural diversities in the face of algorithmic standardization?
This transformation also calls for a new collective ethics. “AI ethicists” are only the visible part of an emerging ecosystem dedicated to the moral and social framing of these technologies. Algorithmic auditors, human-machine mediators, specialized psychologists: so many professions that testify to our will to guide this revolution according to our values.
The post-AI era also requires a redefinition of our organizational structures toward hybrid models where AI is neither master nor slave, but partner in a complex ecosystem. These organizations develop “collective augmented intelligence,” where human and artificial capabilities complement rather than compete with each other.
Reinventing the future of work
As she was having coffee on a terrace, Cerise found herself observing the city coming alive around her. Drone deliveries, real-time generated advertising, workers collaborating with AI tools… She wondered: “What if this future wasn’t a threat, but an opportunity? It’s up to us to build it intelligently, right, Ada?” “Exactly, Cerise,” replied Ada.
AI isn’t just a simple technological revolution; it represents a civilizational turning point that invites us to fundamentally rethink our relationship to work and collective ethics. This profound transformation requires a holistic approach, where technology becomes the catalyst for a new harmony between progress and humanity.
The ethical question poses itself with particular acuity in this context of accelerated mutation. Beyond purely technical considerations about task automation, emerges a deeper reflection on the very nature of human work in a world augmented by AI. This reflection is articulated around several fundamental axes: preserving creative autonomy in the face of generative algorithms, guaranteeing an equitable transition for all actors in the professional world, and building a robust ethical framework to guide the development and deployment of AI systems.
Training becomes in this context no longer simple knowledge transmission, but a true initiation into applied ethics. Professional development programs must integrate a strong reflective dimension, allowing tomorrow’s workers to navigate the ethical gray zones implied by the increasing use of AI. This ethical training must go beyond the simple theoretical framework to anchor itself in daily practice, allowing everyone to become an enlightened actor in this transformation.
Responsible innovation emerges as a categorical imperative of this new era. It implies a systemic approach that takes into account not only efficiency gains, but also the social and environmental impact of developed solutions. Forward-thinking companies understand that their role is no longer simply to create economic value, but to actively participate in building a future where technology and humanity coexist harmoniously.
This transformation also requires a profound redefinition of our governance structures. Organizations must develop decision-making mechanisms that systematically integrate ethical considerations into their AI adoption strategy. This involves creating multidisciplinary ethics committees, implementing impact assessment processes, and developing an organizational culture that values technological innovation as much as ethical reflection.
AI isn’t just a simple technological tool; it’s the mirror of our collective aspirations for the future of work. The story of Cerise and Ada reminds us that the essence of this transformation doesn’t reside in sterile resistance to change, but in our capacity to orchestrate a fruitful symbiosis between technology and humanity. This subtle dance between human and machine invites us to rethink our modes of training, collaboration, and innovation. In this technological ballet taking shape, each step must be guided by conscious ethics and humanistic vision. For if the future of work is in our hands, it’s our collective responsibility to shape it with wisdom and discernment.
Cerise contemplated the city from her office, observing the incessant ballet of delivery drones in the twilight sky. “Ada,” she said pensively, “all these transformations are fascinating, but who really decides the rules of the game? How can we ensure that AI develops ethically and equitably on a global scale?” Ada remained silent for a moment before responding: “That’s a very interesting and very important question, Cerise. It touches on global AI governance, geopolitical balances, technological inequalities between nations…“
“A complex subject that would deserve deeper discussion, that’ll be for another episode, won’t it?” interrupted Cerise with a smile. “Indeed,” agreed Ada, “because global AI governance is a story that deserves to be told in its own right…“