In the fast-evolving world of work, there is a lot of conversation and theorizing on which jobs might be displaced by generative AI. While many are focused on the threat, there are two more compelling questions to ask. First, which roles are least susceptible to AI disruption? And second, which roles need to evolve in this new era of working — regardless of the impact of AI?

We’re in a time where businesses are increasingly thinking about the composition of the skills they need, the roles within the organization to deliver their strategy, and what outside support is required. A new report from Indeed’s Hiring Lab sheds light on the skills and roles employers are seeking in today’s market. Regarding the outside support needed to close any gaps, consultants and freelancers remain the go-to resource — but they need to evolve their craft, too.

Let’s look at the impact of AI first on the talent market. The fact remains that there are some jobs that AI cannot easily replace. “We assessed all the different skills in Indeed job postings, and the jobs least exposed to AI replacement are those that require hands-on work such as driving and nursing, empathetic skills, and childcare,” says Jack Kennedy, Indeed’s senior economist. It seems that the human touch, whether it’s physical or emotional, is still something AI cannot easily replicate.

The flip side, of course, is that many jobs are susceptible to AI disruption. “There’s a whole swathe of the job market that, when you break down which tasks are involved, AI can replace or enhance those tasks,” says Kennedy. “It can be productivity-enhancing in some instances; it can completely take over tasks in other instances; and still there are other parts of the role that it can’t replace. I think a lot of jobs are going to change in the nature of the work required. It’s early days, but we’re certainly seeing that more job postings include AI-related terms. Interestingly, a lot of the categories where that’s prevalent are not in tech. We’re seeing it more and more in occupational job postings, such as research and development, media and communications, marketing, art, banking, and architecture. The job descriptions are incorporating this gen-AI phraseology.”

But, for all the hype around AI, the number of Indeed job postings containing AI-related terms is sitting at just 2-3%. “Despite all of the focus on AI, for many employers they are more focused on basic computer literacy,” says Kennedy. “The pool of candidates with advanced AI technical skills is still quite a limited one. We’re still in the early stages.” Dan French, CEO of Consider Solutions, agrees. “The thing about the AI boom right now that we’ve got to remember is that AI has been around for decades. What’s got people excited in the past 18 months is generative AI, which is a very specific niche. And I think there’s less mileage in generative AI than people claim.”

In terms of seeking outside resources for support, businesses continue to turn to freelancers and consultants. There’s an active narrative around freelancers and the gig economy — but no one is talking about how the role of the consultant is also due for an overhaul. “Traditionally, there are two business reasons that people use consultants,” says French. “There’s either a new executive, or there’s some big business problem where executives want to create some time to take a breath, so they hire McKinsey. They almost don’t care what the solution is; it just gives them six months to think about what to do next.”

Now, businesses are looking for real partners and getting more value out of their consultants. “I think businesses are looking for a genuine diagnosis of business problems, but they don’t want to outsource the problem anymore — they want to own the answer. It has to be a collaborative partnership,” says French. Moreover, consultants must deliver more value if they want to stay in the game. “I speak to executives every week who say, ‘We’ve just hired XYZ firm at a cost of 12 million, and all we got was a report of everything we told them — but nothing extra. We could’ve used generative AI for that,'” says French.

As we navigate this era of change, employers must get more creative in how they get the job done — whether that be reimagining roles, accurately assessing the skills needed in the business, or strategically engaging outside support. Employees should consider how they can future-proof their careers. The question for today’s workforce is not just “Will AI take my job?” but rather, “How can I re-imagine my role?” Now is the time to focus on cultivating skills that AI can’t replicate, whether that’s empathy, hands-on expertise, collaboration, or the ability to think creatively.