“AI won’t take your job…” — the quote, and the employee you actually hire
About our Podcast series: we quote public figures word for word from the linked sources, then translate the idea for Malaysian SMEs. They are not endorsing ThinkChat, and we don’t put words in anyone’s mouth.
You have probably seen it on LinkedIn, often with no name attached: “AI won’t take your job. Someone using AI will.” It is worth knowing who actually said it, because the original is more useful than the meme.
The original: Richard Baldwin, 2023
The line is widely credited to Richard Baldwin, an economist and professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, speaking on a panel at the World Economic Forum’s Growth Summit in 2023:
“AI won’t take your job. It’s somebody using AI that will take your job.”
Richard Baldwin, World Economic Forum Growth Summit 2023, as reported by Business Insider
In the same session he described AI as “wisdom in a can” and argued it could give more power to average workers, while warning that “every job will change”.
The 2025 version: Jensen Huang
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made a similar point at the Milken Institute Global Conference in May 2025. From the official transcript:
“Every job will be affected. Some jobs will be lost, some jobs will be created, but every job will be affected. And immediately it is unquestionable, you’re not going to lose a job—your job to an AI, but you’re going to lose your job to somebody who uses AI.”
Jensen Huang, Milken Institute Global Conference 2025 (transcript)
What it means for a small business
Both men were talking about individual workers. Zoom out to a business and the same logic applies: the shop that uses AI well will out-serve the shop that doesn’t.
In customer service that looks very concrete. Two clinics, same prices, same quality. One replies at 11pm with the right answer and a booking slot. The other replies at 10am. Customers notice.
“Using AI” is not the same as “having AI”
The quote says someone using AI. Plenty of businesses “have AI” in the sense of a button marked AI in some software. Fewer actually use it well. Using AI well in CS means:
- It works from your facts, not general internet knowledge.
- It handles the repeatable work: FAQs, after-hours replies, collecting details, bookings.
- It knows its limits and says “I don’t know” instead of inventing.
- Your staff stay in charge of complaints, exceptions and relationships, and can take over any chat.
- Someone reviews it, fixing missing answers each week.
The employee you actually hire
That is why we describe ThinkChat as an AI CS employee, not a magic replacement for your team. You hire at a level:
- Junior (RM299): AI replies from your Q&A, documents and website, plus human takeover.
- Senior (RM599): adds AI Flows to guide customers step by step, and ThinkChat Calendar bookings.
- Manager (RM899): adds Lead Forms, multiple knowledge categories and priority support.
Your team becomes the “somebody using AI” in Baldwin’s line: people who spend their time on judgement and relationships, while the AI covers the repeatable chats in English, Chinese and Malay, around the clock.
Wondering how this differs from a basic chatbot? Read Why “AI chatbot” and “AI employee” aren’t the same.
Soft next step
If you want your team to be the ones using AI, Talk to Lyia on WhatsApp: +60 11-5515 9318.
Plans stay simple: Junior RM299 · Senior RM599 · Manager RM899 a month. Pick the level that matches how much of your customer service you want covered.