By Robert Seamans
A lot of people are scared about the future of AI.
Artificial-intelligence technology is going to transform how we live and work, in ways we can't begin to imagine today. That means, yes, it will make some jobs obsolete. And it is going to transform all of our jobs, sometimes leaving today's workers struggling to keep up.
But AI is also going to create opportunities -- whole new jobs that center on the technology and the advances it enables. Speculating about which jobs may be in our AI future is difficult; there will be no doubt many jobs that we can't imagine today. But predicting is still a worthy exercise. To that end, here is a look at four possible jobs that AI may create in the years ahead.
The explainer
AI systems can be inscrutable. We all have experienced when they churn out unexpected answers that even their designers can't fully explain -- or sometimes just make stuff up.
But it also can be tough to understand the basics of how AI fits into individual organizations and jobs, things as basic as: Who makes sure the systems are kept up-to-date and functioning properly? Stakeholders will need those answers as AI takes on more responsibility for tasks like judging loan applications, recommending medical treatments and accepting or rejecting résumés.
Enter the AI explainer, an expert who understands the technology deeply and can translate it into plain language for managers, judges, regulators and others. Imagine a lawsuit involving a traffic accident -- an autonomous city bus hits a privately owned self-driving vehicle. A judge and jury will need to have some level of understanding about how the technology works: Were both vehicles' software up-to-date? If not, is it the owner's fault -- or perhaps the bus maker or software provider?
The parties involved in the case might all hire their own AI explainers to give expert testimony -- and, inevitably, put their own side's spin on the information.
The chooser
The different varieties of AI can also be baffling to newcomers. Companies are going to face confusing decisions about which type of tech works best for different tasks -- and getting the answers right will be crucial. An AI chooser will help clear up the confusion. This expert will help companies sort through the variety of AI systems available and figure out what jobs they are each best suited to handle. Then the chooser will guide the company through the process of buying and installing the tech.
Imagine a retailer that wants AI to take on a whole range of tasks. The expert might make the case that predictive AI -- which can analyze data to figure out trends and tendencies -- could figure out what customers want based on their buying history. If the retailer wanted help in developing marketing materials, the expert might recommend generative AI, which can take data and implement it in creative ways.
Auditors and cleaners
We already see companies struggling to handle issues like bias in AI decisions. Auditors and cleaners would work hand in hand to spot and resolve those types of problems. The AI auditor, for instance, would perform regular checkups -- weekly, monthly or even daily, depending on the industry -- to see if the AI systems produced results that were unfairly skewed in some direction. The cleaner would adjust the system to eliminate those problems, such as training it with a new set of data that helps eliminate its bias.
The trainer
As AI works its way further into people's jobs, workers are going to need lots of training in the new technology. And we will get a new type of training to meet that demand. Unlike conventional corporate teaching, which relies on in-person sessions or generic online courses, a new breed of training specialist will leverage AI itself to upskill workers. The trainer would use the technology to figure out what teaching style works best for individuals and tailor the lessons to fit. This could be especially valuable for midcareer workers who need to rapidly acquire new skills without returning to formal education, or for workers in smaller companies that lack the resources for extensive training programs.
But these jobs are just the beginning. AI will create countless other new roles, in industries that don't even exist yet. The future will certainly bring a lot of uncertainty -- but a lot of opportunity as well.
Robert Seamans is a professor of management and organizations at New York University's Stern School of Business. He can be reached at reports@wsj.com.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 14, 2025 10:00 ET (15:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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