According to Business Insider, Wix CEO Avishai Abrahami is “really worried” about AI’s impact on the employment market. He predicts a “massive amount” of roles will shrink, with roughly 70% of the top 20 most popular US jobs affected within the next five to 10 years. Abrahami is specifically concerned about the rise of artificial general intelligence, a future he now sees as a near-term reality arriving sooner than 15-20 years. In response, his company is already creating new AI-augmented roles, like the xEngineer, a design-first engineer who uses AI in every workflow. He points to immediate threats, including over 4 million driving jobs and customer service positions, citing real-world advances from Waymo and Tesla’s robotaxi service.
The Automation Frontline
Abrahami’s warnings aren’t abstract. He’s putting a bullseye on jobs with clear, repetitive patterns. Think about the over 4 million people driving for Uber, in taxis, or in trucks. That’s a huge chunk of the workforce. And the tech isn’t coming; it’s here. Waymo’s operating in multiple cities, and Tesla is running driverless rides in Austin right now. Customer service is another obvious target. When Sam Altman agrees with you that AI will hit those jobs first, you know you’re onto something. The writing is on the wall. These aren’t jobs of the future; they’re jobs of the past, and the transition is going to be brutally fast for millions.
What AI Can’t Touch (Yet)
So, where do humans hide? Abrahami’s safe zones are fascinating. First, pure physical dexterity. Janitors are “probably really safe” because mopping floors and cleaning complex spaces is a robotics nightmare. We take for granted how incredible our hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning are. Then there’s high-level, novel creation. AI can remix, but can it invent a new branch of physics? Not with today’s models. And finally, performance. This is the big one. “Nobody cares” about robots playing soccer against each other, he says. We care about human struggle, artistry, and the unexpected. Athletes, actors, musicians—their value is in their humanity. That’s a tough algorithm to write.
The Amplified Worker
But here’s the thing: the story isn’t just about replacement. It’s about transformation. Wix’s new “xEngineer” role is the blueprint. It’s not an AI replacing an engineer; it’s an engineer using AI as a super-powered tool. We’re going to see this everywhere. The jobs that survive, and the new ones that are created, will be centered on human judgment, creativity, and oversight of AI systems. The analyst doesn’t just run reports; they ask the profound questions the AI can’t conceive. The developer doesn’t just write code; they architect systems for AI agents to build within. It’s an upgrade path, but only for those who can adapt. For everyone else? The cliff is steep. Abrahami’s timeline of 5-10 years feels optimistic for workers, and terrifying for anyone not paying attention.
