AI is coming for your job? Here are 5 steps to stay ahead + resources

Before you start reading, a quick note from me. It took me almost three hours to put this together for you😅. I used Deep Search in GPT Premium, reviewed a few different CEO memos and LinkedIn posts, cross-checked insights, and carefully edited it into something I believe you’ll actually want to read.

So yes, this article is longer than usual, but I promise it’s worth your time.

Please give it a proper read. What’s inside could literally shape how you show up at work next week—or how you secure your next role in a world that’s changing faster than most people realize.

Alright. Let’s dive in.

If you build, manage, or hire in tech, you’ve already seen the signs.

AI isn’t a “future trend” anymore. It’s here. And it’s accelerating faster than anyone expected.

My LinkedIn feed has been packed with posts from tech CEOs drawing the line: AI isn’t a side hustle or a future consideration. It’s becoming part of the new job requirement.

Let me give you two powerful examples you can’t ignore. At least, I couldn't. 

Shopify’s CEO Just Made AI Mandatory

Shopify’s CEO, Tobi Lütke, just dropped one of the boldest AI memos of the year and it’s changing how every team inside Shopify operates.

Here’s what it said:

• AI is now a job expectation, not a nice-to-have.

• Every prototype must explore AI first, no exceptions.

• Peer reviews now include “How well do you use AI?” as part of your performance.

• You’re expected to self-learn AI, apply it, and share what works with your team.

• You can’t ask for more headcount or budget until you prove AI can’t do the job.

• And yes—this applies to everyone, including the CEO himself.

“If you’re not climbing, you’re sliding.”— Shopify CEO, Tobi Lütke

This is more than a company memo. It’s a turning point—not just for Shopify, but for every tech professional watching.

Fiverr’s CEO Didn’t Sugarcoat It Either

Meanwhile, Fiverr’s Micha Kaufman sent what might be the most brutally honest internal message of 2025.

“AI is coming for your jobs. Heck, it’s coming for mine too.”

His point? Tasks that used to feel “safe” or “good enough” won’t cut it anymore.

• Easy? Automated.

• Hard? The new normal.

• Impossible? Probably getting solved by AI next year.

But this wasn’t a panic memo—it was a challenge to level up.

Kaufman laid out the path for survival and growth:

1. Master AI tools in your field—find what gives you “superpowers.”

2. Learn from your team’s AI experts—steal what works.

3. Work like it’s 2025—do more, faster, better.

4. Get fluent in prompt engineering—Google is dead; AI is your new research partner.

5. Make your team more efficient with AI before asking for more people.

The message?

Be exceptional or risk becoming irrelevant.

How This Applies to You & Me (No Matter Where You Work)

If you’re reading this, you already know this is bigger than Shopify or Fiverr.

It’s where the entire industry is headed.

Mastering AI isn’t optional anymore. It’s the new literacy.You’re either AI-native or replaceable.

So the real question isn’t “Should I start learning AI?”

It’s “Why haven’t I started already?”

Let's Talk About How to Make AI Your Career Advantage

Here’s exactly how you can (should) move forward, whether you’re an engineer, data professional, PM, Sales Engineer, manager,  Head of or recruiter.

1. Understand How AI Actually Works

Let’s be real—copy-pasting prompts into ChatGPT doesn’t make you “good with AI.” To truly future-proof your career, you need to go deeper.

That starts with understanding the fundamentals:

• What is AI actually doing under the hood?

• What problems is it good at solving?

• Where does it fail?

• What shouldn’t it be trusted to do without human oversight?

2. Bring AI Into Your Daily Workflow

AI isn’t something you learn once and forget about.

It’s something you build into your everyday work—right now.

Here’s what that looks like, depending on your role:

• If you’re a developer: Start using GitHub Copilot to speed up your coding. Explore LangChain or OpenAI APIs to build smarter tools and apps.

• If you’re a data engineer: Test out Datafold’s AI Assistant for automated data validation, or let dbt’s AI features speed up your SQL work.

• If you’re a manager: Use ChatGPT to draft project plans, meeting summaries, or performance feedback. It can help you move faster while keeping quality high.

• If you’re a recruiter (like me): Start leveraging tools like hireEZ or SeekOut to automate sourcing and uncover candidates you’d never find on LinkedIn alone.

3. Practice Prompt Engineering

Here’s something you won’t hear in most job descriptions yet—but you will soon:

Prompt engineering is the new productivity skill. AI is only as good as the instructions you give it. If you can’t explain clearly what you want, you won’t get anything useful back. That’s why learning how to write effective prompts is critical.

And it’s not just for tech people:

• Need to draft a client email?

• Need to generate data summaries?

• Need to analyze customer feedback?

AI can do all of that—if you give it the right prompt. Want to sharpen that skill fast? Try this free mini-course on Prompt Engineering.

4. Focus on What AI Can’t Do (Your Human Edge)

Let’s make one thing clear—AI is incredible at automating tasks. But it can’t replace judgment, empathy, or leadership. If you want to stand out in a future where AI handles the busywork, you need to invest in the skills that AI can’t replicate:

• Critical thinking – Making smart decisions when data isn’t black and white.

• Leadership – Guiding teams through uncertainty and change.

• Collaboration – Building relationships and trust.

• Communication – Translating complexity into clarity.

• Decision-making – Balancing speed with impact.

These skills make you indispensable. Don’t neglect them while chasing tech trends.

5. Make Learning a Weekly Habit

If you’re standing still, you’re already behind. AI moves way too fast for you to treat learning as a “someday” thing. Here’s how to build learning into your routine right now:

• Subscribe to The Batch or Import AI to keep up with what’s changing in the AI space.

• Take quick, targeted courses on LinkedIn Learning or Coursera.

• Set aside 30 minutes a week to experiment with a new AI tool or feature.

• Share what you’re learning with your team—because learning sticks when you teach it.

Remember, the best learners don’t wait for permission. They make learning part of the job—week in, week out.

How This Changes Hiring (And What You Need to Do About It)

Here’s the reality: AI isn’t just changing the work you do. It’s changing how you get hired. More and more companies are screening for AI fluency—and not just for engineers. Managers, recruiters, data analysts, product folks—everyone is expected to show they can use AI effectively.It’s not enough to say “I know AI exists.” You’ll need to show:

• How you’ve used AI to improve outcomes.

• That you understand AI’s limitations—like bias, privacy, and reliability.

• That you keep learning and applying AI in new ways.

The best thing you can do? Start building those stories today—so when you’re asked in your next interview, you have real examples to share.

What It Looks Like When You Get This Right

When you lean in and build these skills, everything shifts.

• You stop worrying about whether AI is going to replace you.

• You start leading the adoption of AI on your team.

• You automate the busywork that used to slow you down.

• You make faster, smarter decisions with AI as your sidekick.

• You become the go-to person when your team needs to figure out what’s next.

You’re not just keeping your job—you’re leveling up your impact. Alright, that's it. Thanks for reading. See you all next week ✌🏽

Want more? Here Are Your Next Steps

Here are practical resources you can start using right now to build your AI skills and stay competitive:

📚 Foundational AI Learning

• AI For Everyone by Andrew Ng on Coursera – A beginner-friendly course to understand what AI is (and isn’t).

• Generative AI For Everyone by Andrew Ng on Coursera– Learn how to apply GenAI at work, regardless of your role.

🛠️ Hands-On AI Tools to Try

• GitHub Copilot – AI coding assistant that integrates with your IDE.

• OpenAI Playground – Test and build prompts directly with GPT models.

• LangChain – Framework for building AI-powered applications using language models.

📈 AI for Data Engineers

• Datafold AI Assistant – AI for validating and translating SQL across databases.

• dbt Cloud with AI Assistant– Data transformation with AI-powered code suggestions.

💼 AI for Managers and Leaders

• Generative AI for Business Leaders – Strategy-focused AI training for decision-makers

🧠 Prompt Engineering Training

• ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers (DeepLearning.AI + OpenAI) – Free mini-course on writing better prompts.

📰 Stay Updated

• The Batch by DeepLearning.AI – Weekly AI news, explained clearly.

• Import AI by Jack Clark – Deep analysis on AI policy, research, and trends.

• MIT Technology Review’s AI Section – Reliable AI news and insights.