Future Proof Your Career in the Age of AI

"Am I going to be okay?" That's the question a reporter asked at the end of an interview about AI in the workplace — and it's the question behind this entire conversation. In this first episode of our 3-part Leading in AI series, Adrian Owen Jones and Devin Lemoine break down what career security actually looks like right now. They draw a clear line between job security (which was never really guaranteed) and career security (which is still something you can build) — and walk through the three things that determine which side of that line you're on: mastery, reciprocal relationships, and demonstrated impact. You'll learn: → Why job security was always somewhat of a myth — and what to focus on instead → Why being willing to be a "novice again" is the most important skill in a changing environment → The difference between being responsible for something and actually having impact → The PIE framework (Projects, Image, Exposure) for building visibility as a leader → The "200 person test" for measuring your reciprocal network → Why referrals and the hidden job market matter more than ever as AI floods hiring pipelines with polished resumes This is a grounded, practical conversation for anyone who has felt that low hum of anxiety reading the latest AI headline — and wants real tools instead of more noise. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 The question that started this conversation 2:00 Is AI real, or is this a bubble? 3:30 Job security vs. career security 6:00 The three pillars: mastery, reciprocal relationships, impact 6:45 What mastery actually means right now 9:30 Being willing to be a novice again 11:30 What makes a relationship reciprocal (not parasocial) 16:00 The hidden job market and the power of referrals 19:30 The 200-person test 22:30 Why high performers struggle with self-promotion 24:00 Responsibilities vs. impact 29:00 The annual report Adrian made for her whole team 31:30 The BAMF Binder 33:30 The PIE framework: Projects, Image, Exposure 35:00 Saying yes without burning out 38:00 Recap: the three things that create career security 39:30 Three reflection questions to ask yourself Mentioned in this episode Wall Street Journal — "AI Is Coming For Entry-Level Jobs" https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-jour... New York Times — "The Bottom Rung of the Career Ladder Is Disappearing" https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/19/op... Goldman Sachs research — "AI Threatens Millions of White-Collar Jobs" https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights... CNBC — "Your Job May Not Exist in Five Years" https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/19/ai-hi... About Leading in Change Leading in Change is a podcast from Success Labs about leading well in a dynamic, ever-changing world — big-picture conversations on the messy, human side of leadership, with practical tools you can actually use. Connect with Success Labs 🌐 successlabs.com 🔗 LinkedIn: / successlabs 📣 Facebook: / successlabs 🤳🏻 Instagram: @success_labs 🧪 Tik Tok: @successlabshq 📋 New to leadership, or setting someone up to lead? Join the waitlist for our First 90 Days playbook here: https://successlabs.myflodesk.com/huf... Related Episodes: Part 2: Leading Teams in the Age of AI — coming soon Part 3: Leading Organizations in the Age of AI — coming soon