How AI is changing the world of work concerns me as a father and an entrepreneur. Which tasks will machines take on in the future? What should young people learn? And what role will our own judgement play? My conversations with Christoph Zöller, Philipp “Pip” Klöckner and Albrecht Metter bring together different perspectives on these questions.
These reflections draw on podcast episodes 189 and 193, recorded in 2026. They represent the guests’ views at that time. Particularly when discussing the future, it is worth comparing the arguments and acknowledging unanswered questions.
Christoph Zöller: New opportunities and unequal access
Instaffo founder Christoph Zöller also approaches AI through his experience of the labour market. In our conversation, he considers it possible that technological progress will create new kinds of work. He challenges the idea that every automated task necessarily means a permanent reduction in employment.
At the same time, he describes risks for society. Not everyone may benefit equally from new opportunities. Knowledge, productivity and wealth could become more concentrated. His optimism about technological possibilities therefore sits alongside the question of how people can participate in them.
For young people, he emphasises curiosity and genuine interest. He does not name a profession that would be safe regardless of every change. Instead, he focuses on a willingness to learn independently and apply knowledge. That is his perspective on finding direction amid uncertainty.
Christoph Zöller on AI and the job market: episode 193 (German) →
Pip Klöckner: Tasks are changing, but judgement still matters
At Dinner im Schloss, Pip Klöckner focuses particularly on activities that produce digital results. Examples in the conversation include documents, presentations and computer code. He expects significant changes here and asks which human contributions will still be needed.
He also discusses experts who can assess the results of work. After all, a generated result needs to fit the problem. His reflections therefore also concern curiosity, identifying problems and creating things yourself. Simply consuming ready-made answers means missing part of that engagement.
His advice on career choices sometimes differs from Christoph Zöller’s. He also mentions fields whose results lie outside the purely digital world. Yet his answer begins with personal enthusiasm. The comparison shows that even an open discussion about AI does not produce a single agreed list of safe careers.
Albrecht Metter: Where does AI run, and under what conditions?
Albrecht Metter adds the question of technological independence to the panel. He discusses AI running locally on devices and connects this approach with digital sovereignty. This shifts the focus from individual tasks to the conditions under which a technology is used.
For the world of work, this raises further questions: Who decides which systems are used? What dependencies emerge? And how can companies retain their ability to act? These considerations sit alongside economic and social expectations in the panel discussion.
The panel with Pip Klöckner and Albrecht Metter: episode 189 (German) →
How AI is changing the world of work: Asking more precise questions
The conversations emphasise different things. Zöller discusses new activities and participation. Klöckner examines changing tasks and human judgement. Metter asks about technical foundations and independence. Together, these positions show how many layers sit within the broad question of the future of work.
It therefore helps to make your own question more specific. Are you thinking about a particular step in a process, an entire profession or decisions within a company? The more precisely you define the issue, the easier it is to relate the arguments from these conversations to it.
Four questions for your next discussion
- Which task do we mean, exactly? A first draft, a professional decision and responsibility for an outcome are different things.
- Who can assess the quality? What experience and knowledge does that require?
- Who benefits from the change? And who needs opportunities to engage with it?
- What dependencies emerge? What does the choice of a system mean for your ability to act?
How AI is changing the world of work remains a discussion with an open outcome. The full conversations give these positions more room. You can find more episodes and perspectives in their historical context in my topic hub on AI and the world of work (German).
