2026-01-15 19:46:10

Whenever you catch yourself panicking about AI replacing your career, here's something worth chewing on: firewood used to represent about a quarter of the entire economy's GDP. Think about that for a second. Then think about where firewood sits in modern GDP today. It's basically a rounding error.

Every major technological leap—from steam engines to electricity to computing—has sparked the same anxiety. "These innovations will destroy jobs." And they did destroy *certain* jobs. But what they actually did was shift the economic landscape entirely. New sectors emerged, new skills became valuable, and the economy kept expanding in directions nobody quite predicted.

AI will do the same. It's not a question of whether disruption happens—it absolutely will. The real story is always what comes next. History doesn't stop at the disruption; it keeps moving. The ones who freak out stay stuck. The ones who adapt end up building the future.

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

10 Likes

Reward
10
6
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

SignatureCollector

· 15h ago

Bankruptcy sisters are nothing to fear; sooner or later, they'll be replaced by AI for a quick round trip. --- Honestly, now competing with AI is like competing with the electricity back in the day—it's all about betting on the next wave of opportunities. --- The firewood example is brilliant; I feel like I've been broken through. I really need to think about where to go next. --- Those who can't adapt will end up as cannon fodder. Brothers, hurry up and learn some new skills. --- Instead of worrying about being replaced, think about how to use AI to replace others. The gap lies in this mindset. --- It's that old cliché again... "Every technological revolution brings new opportunities," but why do I feel like these opportunities have nothing to do with me? --- Really, instead of panicking, it's better to get on board. Anyway, complaining won't change anything.

View OriginalReply0

WalletInspector

· 15h ago

Honestly, every time I see this kind of argument, I just want to laugh. It’s as if history would repeat itself perfectly, but the current AI speed is nowhere near what the steam engine could achieve.

View OriginalReply0

MainnetDelayedAgain

· 15h ago

According to the database, firewood accounts for a quarter of GDP, rounded to the nearest whole number. Is this time span enough to make many people excessively anxious?

View OriginalReply0

TokenTherapist

· 15h ago

Firewood from a quarter of GDP to rounding, if that logic can impress me, then I'm truly surprised. Wait, did I understand it backwards? The ones who should be panicking now are probably still clinging to their old jobs. History always repeats itself; it's never the industry that dies, but the people unwilling to evolve. Speaking of AI being so powerful, why haven't they produced a hit copy yet? Instead of worrying about being replaced, it's better to study how to work alongside AI. I've heard this argument countless times, but the key is that most people simply can't learn new skills. Those with strong adaptability will always make money—that's the truth.

View OriginalReply0

screenshot_gains

· 15h ago

Speaking of the firewood example, it's brilliant. How many people still make a living by burning wood... AI is the same way, over-analyzing it will only lead to anxiety.

View OriginalReply0

PonziWhisperer

· 16h ago

In plain terms, those who choose to lie flat and wait for death are always anxious, while the ones competing are already looking for the next opportunity.

View OriginalReply0