Will AI take your job or change how you define work altogether? Former OpenAI executive Zack Kass joins us to explore why the biggest risk of automation isn’t economic collapse, but an identity crisis. While most people fear job loss, Zack argues we’re overlooking how deeply work defines our sense of purpose, and how unprepared we are for a world where machines do more of the thinking. We discuss which jobs are most vulnerable, why some professions may actually benefit from AI, and how financial illiteracy already costs people more than automation ever has. This conversation looks past fear-based headlines and asks a harder question: if work matters less, how do you decide what actually matters? Key Takeaways We want automation everywhere except our own jobs, creating resistance that has more to do with identity than economics. The real threat of AI is not unemployment, but our inability to separate self-worth from work. Financial illiteracy quietly drains wealth through fees and debt, and AI could help people make smarter money decisions if used well. Resources Zack's website zackkass.com The next renaissance newsletter https://newsletter.zackkass.com/ Zack's book - The Next Renaissance https://amzn.to/4stPmTP Chapters (0:00) Introduction (2:00) Zack’s background in AI and OpenAI (3:15) Will knowledge workers still have jobs? (4:52) Why job automation isn’t simple (7:53) Longshoremen and automation resistance (9:06) Wanting other people’s jobs automated (10:14) The identity crisis behind job loss fears (13:36) Why some lawyers may welcome automation (21:42) Social limits that slow automation (28:52) Why bespoke services will always exist (37:34) Why AI won’t replace human therapists (43:11) How dehumanization erodes real connection (50:55) The hidden cost of financial illiteracy (57:21) How predatory lending traps people (1:03:51) Why housing, healthcare, and education stay expensive (1:18:31) Screen time and the illusion of busyness _______________ Subscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://affordanything.com/applepodcasts Full show notes for the episode: https://affordanything.com/episode Get our show notes in your inbox: https://affordanything.com/shownotes Follow us! IG: https://instagram.com/paulapant Twitter: https://twitter.com/affordanything FB: https://facebook.com/affordanything Community: https://affordanything.com/community