The only 5 job skills that will survive the AI takeover according to career expert

There are just five job skills that are 'AI-proof' according to a career expert, who explained how they will 'increase in value' over the next decade.

We're constantly bombarded with warnings that AI is getting smarter by the day, and many have been left wondering whether their jobs could eventually be replaced.

And while technology experts have shared insight into what kind of jobs are likely to be safe and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has chimed in on the debate, a careers expert has shared the five 'transferable' skills that will become 'AI-proof' as we move into more unpredictable territory.

Careers expert Benjamin Todd has revealed the key skills humans still have over AI - and how they're only set to become more valuable in the years ahead.

Certain skills have never been more important in the workplace (Getty Stock Images)

Communication skills

Todd recognized that 'developing trust and building authentic relationships' are important skills to have in any workplace.

"As it becomes easier to create large volumes of content with AI, it’s possible the value of content creation will decrease," he said, speaking with CNBC.

The expert added: "But the skill of figuring out what to produce in the first place will grow in importance, as will the value of having good judgement about quality."

Social skills

For now, it's one thing that AI hasn't managed to accomplish.

"Looking ahead, while AI is getting better at certain types of social interaction, people will still want human connection and care about human-produced work," he explained.

Todd noted that 'acknowledging emotions and resolving conflict' are transferable skills that are much more difficult for robots to master than humans.

Leadership, judgment and decision-making skills

The expert said: "In 2017, we analyzed which skills were most commonly required in the most in-demand jobs, and found that judgement and decision-making came out on top."

The careers expert highlighted the importance of being able to make decisions (Getty Stock Images)

While AI is getting increasingly better at completing routine tasks, humans are still calling all the shots.

Operations management skills

"Every organization needs people to actually run things," he said.

While a large majority of administrative work is now being automated by AI, humans are still crucial for more complex tasks that 'require sound judgement'.

AI-implementation skills

And as it turns out, AI really isn't the enemy - just yet!

"If I could highlight just one piece of advice, it would be to learn to use AI tools to do real work," Todd admitted.

"There’s a benefit to being a human-in-the-loop who can fill in those gaps and review key decisions."

Which jobs are most 'at risk' from AI?

Is your job on the list? (Getty Stock Images)

A 2025 study by Microsoft listed 40 jobs that are 'most at risk' of being made irrelevant by the rise of artificial intelligence.

However, it's worth noting that senior Microsoft researcher, Kiran Tomlinson, told Sky News that the study 'explores which job categories can productively use AI chatbots, not take away or replace jobs'.

Yet, the jobs with the highest AI overlap are:

• Interpreters and translators (98 percent overlap)
• Historians (91 percent overlap)
• Mathematicians (91 percent overlap)
• Proofreaders (91 percent overlap)
• Automatic machine coders (90 percent overlap)
• Writers and authors (85 percent overlap)
• Statistical assistants (85 percent overlap)
• Sales representatives (84 percent overlap)
• Technical writers (83 percent overlap)
• Journalists (81 percent overlap)