According to Gallup, 22% of U.S. workers are worried they will lose their jobs to generative AI—a seven percent increase since 2021. Companies are moving faster than expected to replace workers with AI. Recently, Microsoft cut three percent of its staff, and Duolingo said it would reduce contractors as AI takes over their tasks. The digital consultancy firm Customertimes reports that Google searches for “Will AI take my job” have risen by +108% after the latest layoffs. And 18.4 million TikTok videos criticize Duolingo’s “AI-first” strategy, calling for a strike. It’s time to consider steps to take for outsmarting AI in the age of the machine.
How Employees Are Outsmarting AI To Future-Proof Jobs
Atalia Horenshtien, head of AI practice at Customertimes, is leading the introduction of AI-workers in many global companies. She told me by email that if you’ve been laid off in an AI restructure, don’t blame yourself for a company’s failure to evolve responsibly. Instead, she advises that you take inventory by asking “What broke without you? What decisions relied on your judgment?” She points out that that’s your edge: context, nuance and expertise AI still can’t replicate.
“In this new era, proving your value means showcasing the human skills machines can’t mimic,” Horenshtien explains. “And while companies chase automation, they’d do well to remember: AI doesn’t build culture, loyalty or trust. People do.”
If you’re concerned about losing your job in the age of AI, here are four tips Horenshtien, shared with me on how you can future-proof your career and compete against the algorithms.
1. Use AI to Your Advantage
She reminds you that AI isn’t here to compete with your work ethic. “It’s here to automate what can be automated and amplify what you do best,” she says. “Tools like generative AI aren’t just time-savers, they unlock skills many never had before. Writers write faster, non-writers become content creators and everyday professionals suddenly have design, research or strategy capabilities at their fingertips. The most valuable professionals won’t be the ones who resist AI–they’ll be the ones who know how to partner with it to level up.”
2. Focus on What AI Can’t Do (Yet…?)
AI will likely replace tasks, not whole jobs, especially those rooted in repetition, according to Horenshtien. “What it still can’t replicate well: original thinking, emotional intelligence, ethical judgment and complex decision-making. If your role leans heavily on these, double down. If not, it’s time to pivot.”
3. Learn to ‘Talk AI’
She states that prompt engineering, model selection and workflow design are fast becoming core skills. “You don’t need to become a data scientist, but you do need to know how to make AI tools useful. The ability to bridge the gap between tech and business outcomes is what will set people apart.”
4. Don’t Wait
Horenshtien suggests that the worst move is to stay still. “If your role includes repetitive tasks, assume they’re next in line for automation. Upskilling now, whether in AI tools, business strategy or adjacent fields, puts you ahead of the curve and out of the risk zone when change hits.
Outsmarting AI: What Leaders Can Do
Before leaders can help employees with the fears of AI taking their jobs, they must first understand the quandary themselves and have clear and factual explanations to the question on everyone’s mind, “Is AI a tool or a threat?” Horenshtien asserts that business leaders have a responsibility to take action for their employees, telling me that they can take at least five steps.
1. Be Transparent from the Start
Horenshtien explains that if you’re like most people, you know change is coming. She believes the worst thing you can do as a leader is to go silent. “Uncertainty breeds fear, and fear drives talent out the door. ”Be clear about what AI means for your business, how it will affect roles and what support you’ll offer. When people understand the plan, they’re far more likely to stay, adapt and contribute to the shift.”
2. Reskill, Don’t Replace
She admits that letting people go may seem efficient, but cautions you that it’s short-sighted. She recommends, instead, that your better move is to invest in internal mobility. “Map out which roles are at risk and which are growing,”she suggests. “Offer real pathways to reskill toward AI-enhanced positions, and make that part of a clear workforce transition strategy, not an afterthought”.
3. Make Your Employees AI-Ready from Day One
“AI is part of your future, it needs to be part of your onboarding,”she advises. “Don’t just roll out tools—equip people to understand and use them effectively. Introduce AI basics, tool-specific training, and real examples during onboarding so employees build confidence early. When teams know how and why AI fits into their day-to-day, adoption becomes a mindset, not a mandate.”
4. Build a Culture of Experimentation
She points out that AI frees up time and recommends that you use it wisely. “Encourage employees to test new tools, automate the boring stuff and rethink their workflows. When people are given the mandate to innovate, many will discover value the business didn’t know it needed.”
5. Lead the Change, Don’t Just Manage It
“AI adoption is a change management challenge as much as a technical one,” she explains, adding the importance of preparing teams for shifts in roles, responsibilities and expectations. “Give managers the training and support they need to lead through change, not just push new tools.”
A Final Takeaway On Outsmarting AI
I spoke with Alari Aho, career expert and CEO of Toggl Hire, who suggests the first step to bounce back from an AI threat is to remember that layoffs are the beginning, not the end. If you’re faced with a sudden job layoff, Aho suggests it could be a gift in disguise, calling layoffs a rebranding moment.
“It’s a chance to take control of your story, redefine your professional identity and show the market what you’re truly made of.” He suggests that you start by owning the narrative—frame the layoff as a business decision, not a personal failure. Then sharpen your value through a thoughtful rebrand, reconnect with your network with purpose and use any downtime to upskill in ways that align with where you want to go next.
If you’re a full-time employee and are replaced by AI, business leaders declare that one of the best ways of outsmarting AI in 2025 is to build gig jobs as a safety net, not only as extra income to make ends meet but as career insurance in case your job disappears or you’re faced with layoffs. Studies show that many laid-off workers end up in side hustles with more autonomy, making higher salaries than in their previous positions that rival full-time wages.