AI models will quickly automate the majority of expert work, but they will struggle with the final, most complex 25%. For a long time, human expertise will be essential for this 'last mile,' making it the ultimate bottleneck and source of economic value.
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Despite hype, true 'autonomous marketing' is not imminent. AI excels at automating the first 80-90% of a workflow, but the final, most complex steps involving anomalies, nuance, and judgment still require a human. This 'last mile' problem ensures AI's role will be augmentation, not replacement.
As AI commoditizes execution and intellectual labor, the only remaining scarce human skill will be judgment: the wisdom to know what to build, why, and for whom. This shifts economic value from effort and hard work to discernment and taste.
Despite hype about full automation, AI's real-world application still has an approximate 80% success rate. The remaining 20% requires human intervention, positioning AI as a tool for human augmentation rather than complete job replacement for most business workflows today.
If AI were perfect, it would simply replace tasks. Because it is imperfect and requires nuanced interaction, it creates demand for skilled professionals who can prompt, verify, and creatively apply it. This turns AI's limitations into a tool that requires and rewards human proficiency.
While compute and capital are often cited as AI bottlenecks, the most significant limiting factor is the lack of human talent. There is a fundamental shortage of AI practitioners and data scientists, a gap that current university output and immigration policies are failing to fill, making expertise the most constrained resource.
The initial impact of AI on jobs isn't total replacement. Instead, it automates the most arduous, "long haul" portions of the work, like long-distance truck driving. This frees human workers from the boring parts of their jobs to focus on higher-value, complex "last mile" tasks.
Even powerful AI tools don't produce a final, polished product. This "last mile" problem creates an opportunity for humans who master AI tools and then refine, integrate, and complete the work. These "finisher" roles are indispensable as there is no single AI solution to rule them all.
The internet leveled the playing field by making information accessible. AI will do the same for intelligence, making expertise a commodity. The new human differentiator will be the creativity and ability to define and solve novel, previously un-articulable problems.
AI will handle most routine tasks, reducing the number of average 'doers'. Those remaining will be either the absolute best in their craft or individuals leveraging AI for superhuman productivity. Everyone else must shift to 'director' roles, focusing on strategy, orchestration, and interpreting AI output.
As AI makes it incredibly easy to build products, the market will be flooded with options. The critical, differentiating skill will no longer be technical execution but human judgment: deciding *what* should exist, which features matter, and the right distribution strategy. Synthesizing these elements is where future value lies.
