Then → Now · 2026
Written two years before ChatGPT, its safest bet was coding: "coders and programmers will be needed to direct these technological replacements". Coding arguably became one of the areas AI disrupted first.
What it said (2020) ↓
A St. Louis Fed study found "nearly two robots per thousand human workers."
AI and robotics will make required skills "centered more around technology."
What happened (2026) ↓
Generative AI (from late 2022) hit exactly the "tech-proof" knowledge tasks first: writing and translation freelance demand fell after ChatGPT. WashU Olin, ScienceDirect
AI-related skills reportedly earn a premium: according to Mediabistro, Upwork said AI-related work passed $300M in annualised value by late 2025; the claim that it pays 44% more per hour is unattributed there and could not be confirmed from the primary source.
Verdict · Held up: 5 / 10 · Rewritten in 2026 → · Full 2026 update
Partly true The direction was right (tech disruption); the prescription (bootcamp coding) has aged worst of anything in the batch.
Original post · 11 October 2020
A question that never seems to disappear from any employee’s mind revolves around just how long their specific skills will be relevant to their chosen career. Unfortunately, for many traditional workers, the answer is more pessimistic than for workers in the tech industry. Technology is disrupting the workforce increasingly faster than ever before. This disruption will lead to a complete merge between technology and industries that will change how all work is performed. For perspective, a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis found that there were nearly two robots per thousand human workers in the labor market. As artificial intelligence and robotics continue to develop, the skills required by employees are going to change drastically and be centered more around technology. Below are some of the easiest ways to tell whether or not your skills will be applicable in the future of work.Your Skills are Specialized in Tech
Perhaps one of the easiest ways of knowing if you will fit into the future tech-dominated workforce is by examining your current skills. If a large number of your day-to-day tasks deal with technology directly, then it is more than likely that your skills are applicable to the future of work. One of the largest skills that are being heavily sought after within employees already is an understanding of numerous programming languages. While coding and programming only really emerged in the last decade, they have taken industries by storm and changed the way business is conducted. As robotics and artificial intelligence begin to dominate the workforce, coders and programmers will be needed to direct these technological replacements. When it comes to learning this specific skill, there are a number of top-rated coding bootcamps that anyone can attend. However, coding and programming are not the only two tech skills that will be prominent in the future. From machine learning to data scientists, skills and careers exist today that will become far more important in the future. Examine your current skill set to determine if any of those skills are based around technology already.You Can Carry Your Skills into a New Industry
As mentioned, the future of work is changing faster than anyone can react. In truth, the best way to ensure the longevity of your career in this uncertain future is to develop skills that are interchangeable between industries, and are ideally tech-based. When it comes to actually deciding on which skills to pursue, try not to get hung up on the specificities of it all. Soft skills, rather than hard skills, are easier to transfer over to other industries. Identifying what soft skills you have can be done by simply asking yourself what your strengths seem to be. Contrary to popular belief, even if your hard skills are not tech-based, it doesn’t mean that you will be out of a job when technology disrupts the workforce. In an article by Forbes, the importance of soft skills was covered and just how they can be beneficial to anyone of any career. It doesn’t matter whether or not you already are immersed in technology. Having an array of soft skills will inevitably set you up for success when it is time to transition to a more tech-based career.Technology Has Already Disrupted Your Industry
Oftentimes, workers worry about the potential displacement technology might bring with it, yet their industry has already seen widespread disruption. Look no further than fields such as accounting or finance, which have seen automation in the form of computer spreadsheets and other software. Companies use management software to assign tasks to various employees which provides an all-in-one viewable platform for the company's objectives. These are small examples of the disruption technology has already caused. Take a hard look at the company you work for and identify whether or not disruption has already occurred. The increasing prevalence of online degrees has also made it easier for employees to update their skills while also retaining their current job. This could mean that a large number of the employees around you have already prepared for the impending disruption and secured the longevity of your career. It’s important to examine whether or not the disruption you fear has already occurred.Conclusion
It is impossible to know if every one of your skills will be applicable to the future of work. With that said, you can determine how likely it is that your skills will carry over to a new career. Remain optimistic about your skillset and, if you believe they won’t be applicable, then take the necessary steps to update your skills in a way that will help you thrive in the future of work.
Future of Work
2026 update
What happened after this was written
Claims then:
- A St. Louis Fed study found "nearly two robots per thousand human workers."
- AI and robotics will make required skills "centered more around technology."
- Programming is the most sought skill: "coding and programming only really emerged in the last decade." "Coders and programmers will be needed to direct these technological replacements." Attend coding bootcamps (the author founded Career Karma, a bootcamp marketplace, so this is sponsored-adjacent).
- Soft skills transfer across industries.
- Accounting and finance were already disrupted by spreadsheets.
What happened since:
- Generative AI (from late 2022) hit exactly the "tech-proof" knowledge tasks first: writing and translation freelance demand fell after ChatGPT. WashU Olin, ScienceDirect
- AI-related skills reportedly earn a premium: according to Mediabistro, Upwork said AI-related work passed $300M in annualised value by late 2025; the claim that it pays 44% more per hour is unattributed there and could not be confirmed from the primary source. Mediabistro
- Freelancers report 54% advanced AI proficiency vs 38% of full-time employees (Upwork, snippet). Upwork FWI
- Entry-level software hiring weakened after 2022 and several bootcamps closed (not re-verified this session), so "learn to code" is the most dated advice here.
- The "coding only emerged in the last decade" line is simply wrong; programming dates to the 1940s–50s.
- The current robot-density figure: unverified (the search budget ran out before IFR data).
Prediction scorecard:
| Prediction | Then | Now | Verdict | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Future skills centre on tech; coders will "direct" AI and robots | "Learn to code" | AI proficiency is the premium skill; AI automates a lot of routine coding and writing | Partly true | Upwork FWI, ScienceDirect |
| Soft skills transfer across industries | — | Still the consensus hedge against automation | Still valid | (judgement; no new primary data gathered) |
Verdict: Partly true. The direction was right (tech disruption); the prescription (bootcamp coding) has aged worst of anything in the batch.
Headline finding: Written two years before ChatGPT, its safest bet, "learn to code, because coders will direct the robots", arguably became one of the areas AI disrupted first.
Additional checks · Chrome search, 30 Sep 2026
- Robot density: Global manufacturing average 132 robots per 10,000 employees; Western Europe a record 267 (IFR, April 2026). (corrected 3 Nov 2026; ifr.org)
Where these differ from the notes above, these supersede them.
Re-verified 3 November 2026: 3 claims confirmed, 1 corrected, 2 hedged, 0 removed.
Researched 30 September 2026 and re-verified against the sources on 3 November 2026. Sources are linked in each point. Items marked "unverified" could not be established and are not guessed.