You know what people are sick of? Clicking through 27 pop-up windows just to submit their expenses. You know what they’re not sick of? Being treated like actual humans by other humans. That, my friend, is the red-hot center of our AI debate right now: not whether AI will take our jobs, but which jobs we actually want it to take—and which ones we’ll claw back from its robotic claws, thank you very much.
Let’s set the record straight. AI isn’t the villain twirling its digital mustache. It’s the overachieving intern who needs better boundaries. And it turns out, we—the people, the workforce, the lunch-bringers and KPI-hitters—have opinions. Strong ones.
So here’s the good news. We finally have data that isn’t all doom-and-dystopia. Researchers from Stanford, Harvard, OpenAI, Anthropic—you know, the AI braintrust—have moved past the generic “Will AI take our jobs?!” panic and dug into a more useful question:
What do we actually WANT AI to do?
Spoiler alert: It’s the boring stuff.
Prefer to watch the video rather than read this content:
The Green Light: Automate the Boring, Please
In Stanford’s recent task-based quadrant study, the green light zone lit up like a Christmas tree. These are the tasks AI already performs well—and that workers are begging it to handle. Things like:
Scheduling
Payroll
Records maintenance
Standardized reporting
Error checks
Reminder systems
You know, all the fun parts of your job… said no one, ever.
And guess what? Companies like Anthropic and OpenAI are on it. They’re designing AI coworkers (or “copilots”) to show up, knock out your admin, and disappear without asking to join the Zoom happy hour.
Champagne Moment insight: Every founder and operator I coach hits a tipping point where they say, “I didn’t start this business to babysit spreadsheets.” Well, now you don’t have to.
Red Light: AI Can Do It—But Don’t You Dare
Now, over in the red light zone are tasks AI performs well—but humans do NOT want automated. It’s less about logic, more about vibes.
These include:
Teaching
Healthcare
Therapy
Spiritual guidance
Caregiving
It’s not about capability. It’s about what makes us human. Just because AI can draft a decent sermon doesn’t mean we want ChatGPT officiating Grandma’s funeral.
Harvard’s study puts a fine point on it: these jobs are morally off-limits. In fact, only 12% of occupations are considered fully “hands off” for AI—and they tend to involve empathy, ethics, and deep human connection.
Entrepreneurs, take note: If you’re building in these spaces, AI should assist—not replace. That’s not a limitation. It’s your differentiation.
Yellow Light: We’d Love AI Here—If It Didn’t Suck
These are the “hurry up and get better” zones. Workers want automation, but AI just isn’t good enough yet. Think:
Cashiers
Mail sorters
Semiconductor technicians
It’s the land of potential. A playground for startups with a vertical AI play. If you’re building a task-specific model and avoiding moral minefields, these are your blue oceans.
Dual Friction: Hard to Do, Nobody Wants It
Ah yes, the land of no-thank-you.
AI’s not good here, and humans don’t want it here. Examples:
Hiring and firing decisions
Ethics reviews
Parole board assessments
These are the hot potatoes of the AI world—tossed from one hand to the next until someone gets burned. If your board is talking about full AI hiring automation, it’s time for a coffee and a serious reality check.
Task > Job: A Better Frame
Here’s where most of the media gets it wrong. It’s not about jobs—it’s about tasks. Roles aren’t binary, they’re bundles of tasks.
Take a therapist. You’re not automating “Therapist”—you’re automating:
Appointment scheduling
Note transcription
Insurance form filing
The heart of the job stays human. The drudgery gets delegated.
Same with trades. A fascinating study from Housecall Pro (yes, real name) surveyed 400 blue-collar professionals. Turns out:
40% use AI actively
They save 3.2 hours/week (aka 160 hours/year)
73% say AI hasn’t affected hiring at all
So no, your plumber isn’t being replaced by an AI anytime soon. But he might finish faster and invoice more cleanly.
Dan Cali, president of Oak Creek Plumbing, said it best: “Our older guys have learned to ask ChatGPT the right questions… and they’re amazed by the answers.”
The Copilot Era
Let’s talk copilot mode. That sweet spot where AI helps—but doesn’t lead. Think:
Graphic layouts
Film editing
Research summarization
These tasks live in the “Augment Carefully” quadrant. The public’s fine with it. Workers are fine with it. Everyone’s sipping oat milk lattes in harmony.
This is the design philosophy winning in the real world. Anthropic, OpenAI, even startups like Adept and Glean are leaning in here: building tools that work alongside humans, not in place of them.
SBB Insight: If you’re mapping 2026 systems in your Strategic Business Blueprint, these copilot use cases are your low-risk, high-reward entry points.
Meanwhile, in Policy Land…
Cue dramatic music: a recent Senate report claimed 100 million jobs could be displaced by AI.
Their primary source? ChatGPT.
Yes. You read that right. They asked the chatbot how many jobs it might replace. The irony is thicker than a Silicon Valley smoothie.
The report admits the methodology is sketchy but insists the urgency is real. They suggest:
Moving to a 32-hour work week
Raising minimum wage to $17/hr
Tax penalties for AI-fueled layoffs
While the suggestions may be up for debate, the signal is clear: We need a new social contract. Not because AI is evil, but because it’s fast. Like, industrial-revolution-in-18-months fast.
So Where Does That Leave Us?
If you’re a business owner, agency leader, or future-forward founder, here’s your to-do list:
Audit tasks, not roles – Look inside your org and list the 10 most repetitive tasks. Those are your automation targets.
Get your copilot strategy in place – Not everything should be handed off. But a lot of things can be teed up.
Talk to your team – Don’t just automate in a vacuum. Ask people what they want off their plate.
Invest in augmentation, not obliteration – The best AI tools don’t replace. They elevate.
Train people to ask better questions – Your competitive edge isn’t in having AI. It’s in knowing how to use it well.
Final Thought
Here’s the truth, straight up:
Most people aren’t scared of AI. They’re scared of being replaced by AI in jobs that should never have been soul-crushing to begin with.
AI isn’t here to take your job. It’s here to take your least favorite part of the job—if we let it.
So let’s not waste this moment. Let’s build workflows that are human-first, AI-augmented, and outcome-obsessed. Let’s automate the admin, elevate the artistry, and reclaim our time like the glorious, problem-solving, latte-loving humans we are.
Now that’s a future worth building.