Ok, I admit it: I’ve been quietly panicking about AI nicking my job.
You too? Welcome to the club. We meet every Thursday, bring your own biscuits.
But then I stumbled across a video of Reid Hoffman (yes, the LinkedIn chap) saying something that made me, for the first time in months, actually chill out.
The Big Prediction: By 2026, Everyone Gets a Coding Sidekick
Reid reckons that by 2026, everyone — not just developers — will have their own “lightweight coding assistant.”
Yes, even your mum. 🤯
Not just developers. Everyone. Including your mum. (Brace yourself for “Mum, can you help me debug this?” at Christmas dinner.)
But here’s the kicker:
- He’s not saying, “Wait for the perfect AI tool to drop from the heavens.”
- He’s saying, “The folks who adopt and play with it early have a differential edge.”
That’s exactly what happened with YouTube, the internet, combine harvesters, and, let’s be honest, anyone who bought Bitcoin before 2017.
The Lemonade Stand Paradox
Here’s the bit that genuinely surprised me:
When a million 5-year-olds all ask AI for lemonade stand ideas, they’ll all get the same answer.Except the one kid who thinks, “Wait, my neighbourhood loves Hello Kitty. What about a Hello Kitty lemonade stand?”
That kid wins. Not because of AI, but because they used AI differently.
It’s not about the tool. It’s about the twist you add.
How Reid Actually Uses AI (And Why You Should Too)
Instead of staring at blank pages, Reid starts essays with GPT-4 prompts.
Not to replace his thinking — to accelerate it.
He’s not outsourcing his brain. He’s giving it a jetpack.
The Medical Example That’ll Make You Rethink Everything
We already have the tech for a medical assistant on your phone that’s better than your average GP
Available 24/7. Costs pennies per hour to run.
But doctors aren’t obsolete.
They’ll spot what you forgot to tell the AI, and spend more quality time with patients, not less.
Example:
What you'd ask:
"AI, I have a headache in the mornings. What’s causing it?"
What AI would likely respond with:
"I am sorry to hear you have a headache. You’re probably dehydrated and didn’t sleep enough. Contact a doctor."
vs.
What a Doctor would ask:
"I have a Patient who is a 45-year-old male. Presents with early morning headaches. History of hypertension. Recently divorced. Reports increased alcohol consumption. High stress levels due to job insecurity. Sedentary lifestyle. BMI in the obese range. Poor sleep hygiene. No history of migraines. Neurological exam unremarkable. What are your top differential diagnoses?"
What AI would likely respond with:
"Differential Diagnoses:
- Sleep apnea – Highly likely given obesity, alcohol use, and poor sleep hygiene. Morning headaches are a common symptom.
- Hypertension-related headache – Especially if blood pressure is poorly controlled or medications are suboptimal
- Medication overuse or rebound headache – If the patient has been self-medicating with analgesics
- Tension-type headache – Psychological stress, poor posture, and lack of movement may contribute
- Secondary causes – Rule out more serious concerns like intracranial hypertension or mass effect if symptoms escalate
Recommended Next Steps:
- Order overnight sleep study to assess for obstructive sleep apnea.
Monitor and possibly adjust antihypertensive medication - Recommend alcohol reduction and refer to support services if dependence is suspected
Initiate lifestyle intervention plan: exercise, diet, and stress management. - If symptoms persist or worsen, consider neuroimaging (MRI/CT) to rule out structural cause
- Follow-up in 2 weeks to review findings and symptom progression."
See the difference? Context is everything.
The Real AI Revolution: Making Us Better, Not Redundant
The real AI revolution isn’t about replacement.
It’s about making us better.
- Visual creation for people who can’t draw (like me — my stickmen look like they’ve been in a bar fight).
- Coding help for non-coders building actual solutions.
- Writing help for anyone who’s ever stared at a blank page and thought, “Nope.”
But — and it’s a big but — if you don’t have experience building enterprise apps, AI will create a total mess.
(Ask me about the time I let ChatGPT design a database. Actually, don’t.)
Reid’s Practical Advice (That You Should Actually Follow)
- 📱 Start playing with AI tools TODAY (don’t wait for perfect)
- 🎯 Add your creativity to AI outputs (AI + human beats AI alone)
- 🛠️ Learn prompt engineering like you’d learn Photoshop (seriously, it’s the new power skill)
- 💡 Focus on what makes YOUR approach unique
The Timeline Reality Check
- 2025: Every engineer using at least one co-pilot
- 2026: Everyone has lightweight coding assistants
- Physical constraints: Robots aren’t replacing us tomorrow (there aren’t enough resources on Earth, and have you seen Boston Dynamics’ robots try to open a door?)
- Universal Basic Income? “No chance” in 5 years (Reid’s words, not mine)
So… Are We Overthinking the AI-Will-Take-Your-Job Threat?
Honestly?
Probably.
The winners won’t be the ones who wait for the perfect tool.
They’ll be the ones who get stuck in, experiment, and add their own twist.
- So, next time you’re panicking about AI, remember:
- It’s not about being replaced.
- It’s about being amplified.
And if your mum starts debugging your code, well…
You were warned.