A few years ago, I wrote about how conventional paper books and e-books would interact in the market. I said:
Simply put, paper books will have a “displacement” relationship with e-books. This means they will each maintain their respective markets and not replace one another. If marketing is done properly, they can even support each other to achieve mutual success.
However, this relationship depends on the development of either “vehicle.” The readership of paper books is being eclipsed by electronic media such as web pages and social sites, and overall readership is shifting away from print.
In other words, the appetite of the evolving readership may already shift before e-books fully “replace” paper books, and the rest will become history.
I am not saying that paper books will die. They could become a craft, an art form, or a special collectible that requires craftsmanship and dedication—as long as there’s a sustainable market for them.
Guess what? That’s also how I view AI as a candidate for human jobs, particularly in positions said to be at risk of replacement.
Today, we are debating whether your job will be taken by AI or not. However, before AI becomes sophisticated enough to outperform you, the appetite of employers may shift before that happens.
For now, if you’re smart enough, you can still train yourself to leverage AI and enjoy the “displacement effect” for better productivity, making yourself an irreplaceable asset to your boss.
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