Podcast Summary: The Journey with Morgan DeBaun

Episode Title: How to Future-Proof Your Career Against AI Disruption
Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Morgan DeBaun

Overview of Main Theme

In this candid and urgent solo episode, Morgan DeBaun discusses the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce, especially the looming threat to entry-level white-collar jobs. Drawing on her own experiences as a CEO, market statistics, and real-world observation, Morgan equips listeners with the knowledge and mindset to adapt, future-proof their careers, and approach AI disruption proactively. The conversation emphasizes both the risks and the irreplaceable value of human skills, urging listeners to strategize now to secure their personal and professional futures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AI Disruption is Here—and It’s Accelerating

• Rise of AI Agents

  • Morgan explains how AI agents, autonomous chatbots capable of independent action with contextual understanding, can replace traditional roles from personal assistants to travel agents.
  • Example: Grocery planning based on dietary habits and budget is now increasingly automated.
  • (01:30-04:10)

• Major Workforce Shake-Up

  • Morgan cites data from industry leaders, including the Anthropic CEO, predicting that up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs could be eliminated by AI.
  • Entry-level roles most at risk include admin assistants, coordinators, researchers, analysts, and social media associates (generally 0-5 years’ experience).
  • She points to anecdotal evidence from Blavity’s Afrotech clients—for years, demand has shifted further toward mid- and senior-level talent.
  • Quote: “I think I just saw the most recent jobs report was 7% of African Americans are unemployed currently. 50%. Okay, so what is a white collar job? A white collar job is a job that you and I have… it’s the research roles… the analyst roles….” (06:34)

• Broader Layoff and Unemployment Trends

  • By 2030, 20% of the population may be unemployed due to AI—massive, rapid change.
  • Not only entry-level roles but also middle management and knowledge workers (even podcasters) are at risk as information becomes more accessible.
  • (08:15-11:05)

2. AI Tools are Already Impacting Business Models

• AI Browsers like Comet
  • Morgan shares her experience with Perplexity’s new AI browser, Comet, which integrates AI into daily workflows and increases productivity—at a steep cost ($200/month currently).
  • These developments suggest entire job functions will soon be automated, jeopardizing business models that rely on web traffic and ad sales—possibly as early as 2027.
  • Quote: “If you can’t click a website and our main business is selling ads on a website or videos… that’s a large chunk of revenue. And that’s not revenue that’s going to be gone by 2030. That’s going to be revenue gone by 2027.” (13:02)

3. What Can You Do to Future-Proof Your Career?

• Learn the Vocabulary and Jargon

  • Understanding AI-related terms helps you assess personal and organizational impact.
  • (16:00-17:20)

• Timeframe for Action

  • The window to adapt is short: September 2025 to mid-2026 is critical, with exponential adoption expected by 2027.
  • (17:20-18:40)

• Proactive Engagement with Leadership

  • Employees should initiate conversations with CEOs and C-suite leaders about business adaptation to AI—showing curiosity, not resistance, signals you as an asset, not a liability.
  • Quote: “Your incentive is job security. Your incentive is being a part of the team that helps figure this out for the company.” (20:19)

• Shift to Fractional, Entrepreneurial Work

  • Many will need to become fractional workers, consultants, or solopreneurs as full-time roles consolidate.
  • Prepare for changes in personal finances, benefits management, and lifestyle—embrace entrepreneurial thinking.
  • Quote: “Being self-employed is a very different animal because you only eat what you kill. You go on vacation for a week, you don't make money that week.” (25:30)

4. The Irreplaceable Value of Human Skills

• Humanity as a Competitive Advantage

  • Creativity, emotional intelligence, storytelling, charisma, and network building will become more vital as AI proliferates.
  • AI is fundamentally bound by past data; only humans can create new trends and shape the future guided by lived experience.
  • Quote: “Human skills will still matter in the future… No matter what super intelligence arises, no matter what happens in the future. Human emotions, empathy, real relationships and connectivity… that is not going away.” (27:40)
  • Quote: “Humanity is about the future… and that is inherently human.” (30:10)

• Action Over Anxiety

  • Morgan warns against passive consumption of content about AI—encourages listeners to be intentional, proactive, and personally strategic.
  • “You don’t need to be first… But you do need to be intentional.” (32:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI as Disruptor:
  “AI agents are basically like a travel agent or a brand deal partnerships agent. And it’s everywhere, and it’s a lot, and I know that it feels overwhelming.” — Morgan DeBaun (03:50)

• On Corporate AI Adoption:
  “Something they’re not going to tell you… they are watching who is adopting this stuff and who is resisting.” — Morgan DeBaun (18:41)

• On Reality Check:
  “If you’re listening… and you’re like, I don’t like what she’s saying, this is giving me anxiety… that means you may be at a higher risk for losing your job.” — Morgan DeBaun (21:15)

• On Mindset Shift:
  “Fractional CFOs or fractional CMOs have been around for a really long time. ...being self-employed is a very different animal because you only eat what you kill.” — Morgan DeBaun (25:30)

• On Human vs. Artificial Intelligence:
  “AI can only be created based off of the past… Humanity is about the future, and trends and conversations are about how you manage and create the future.” — Morgan DeBaun (30:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:30: Introduction to AI agents
• 06:34: Job loss statistics & white-collar jobs defined
• 13:02: How AI browsers like Comet threaten current business models
• 17:20: Urgent timeframe for career/personal adaptation
• 20:19: Why proactive adoption signals value to leadership
• 25:30: The transition to fractional/entrepreneurial work
• 27:40: The enduring power of uniquely human skills
• 32:07: Call for intentional personal strategy

Episode Takeaways

• AI disruption is fast and wide-reaching; no industry is immune.
• Learning, adapting, and being proactive are critical for career survival.
• Human skills—creativity, empathy, narrative—remain irreplaceable assets.
• Prepare for new work models—fractional, entrepreneurial, consulting.
• Intentionality and adaptability will set you apart in the coming AI-powered economy.

Morgan closes on a hopeful note:
“I do feel hopeful about the advancements in health care, the advancements in environmental sustainability, the things that I can help us solve faster. I also deeply care about humanity and how the future of work looks. And I think it’s a dialogue we all need to be having from a proactive approach as opposed to let’s slow this down. It is not slowed down at all.” (34:10)