As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries, tech leaders are making bold predictions about the future of work. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently said that AI will replace humans in most jobs, including professions like teachers and doctors within the next decade.
Now, another expert has added two more professions to the list of jobs most at risk of AI disruption: lawyers and recruiters.
Lawyers and Recruiters: The Next AI Replacements?
Victor Lazarte, general partner at venture capital firm Benchmark, warned during a recent episode of the Twenty Minute VC podcast that both the legal and recruiting industries are on the verge of major transformation due to AI automation.
“Big companies say AI is augmenting people—this is bullsh*t. It’s fully replacing people,” Lazarte said.
According to Lazarte, entry-level lawyers are particularly vulnerable, as many of their tasks—such as legal research, document drafting, and administrative work—can be done faster and more efficiently using advanced AI legal tools.
This aligns with growing concerns across the legal sector, where AI tools like ChatGPT, Harvey.ai, and others are already being tested for everything from contract analysis to brief writing.
AI in Recruitment: Automating the Hiring Process
Recruiters are also facing increasing pressure from automation. AI software is already being used to:
- Scan job applications
- Analyze candidate backgrounds
- Conduct screening interviews
- Schedule meetings
- Match candidates to job openings
These innovations in AI recruiting software mean that companies may soon reduce or eliminate the need for traditional human recruiters altogether.
Fewer Jobs, Richer Founders?
Lazarte suggested that as AI tools become more powerful, companies will be able to scale with significantly smaller teams. He predicts that the future of business will be shaped by lean startups and trillion-dollar companies run by very few employees.
“Founders and shareholders will become much wealthier, but the workforce will shrink,” Lazarte noted, calling AI a potentially “destabilizing force” for the global economy.
Bill Gates: Only Three Jobs Are Truly Safe from AI
While Lazarte’s prediction is stark, Bill Gates offers an even bleaker outlook. He has stated that only three types of jobs are likely to survive the AI revolution:
- Biologists
- Energy experts
- Computer programmers
Everything else, he warns, is fair game for automation.
A Rapidly Changing Job Market
Recent research supports these warnings. A 2023 study reported that 54% of banking tasks could be automated using AI, suggesting that no industry is entirely immune.
As AI job replacement accelerates, many professionals may need to retrain, upskill, or pivot careers to stay relevant in the age of artificial intelligence.
