For much of my career, I was lucky enough to have what felt like the most thrilling job in the room.
As a travel writer, I joined flying safaris across Kenya, trekked into Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to encounter a family of mountain gorillas, swam alongside whale sharks off Okinawa and gazed at the stars in Peru’s Sacred Valley.
Freelance work meant my income could vary from one month to the next, but I balanced that uncertainty with regular copywriting assignments for major companies. They paid well, and the £45,000 I earned in most years was enough for my family and me to live comfortably.
Then, last year, that remarkable way of life came to an abrupt end.
After 25 years as a writer, I was forced to confront the devastating reality that Artificial Intelligence (AI) had replaced me.
One company after another told me it no longer needed my services because AI software could now carry out the work I had been doing.
The financial and emotional strain has been overwhelming. Struggling to cover everyday costs, I watched my credit card debt mount. With a young family to support, I had little choice but to change direction, handing out fliers in my neighbourhood as I tried to reinvent myself and find new clients.
I am hardly the only worker facing this upheaval. Millions of jobs could eventually be affected by AI, and some of the technology industry’s most influential figures have repeatedly warned of a potential jobs apocalypse. Dario Amodei, chief executive of AI start-up Anthropic, has said the technology could eliminate half of entry-level white-collar jobs.
After a 25-year writing career, Joe Minihane saw the copywriting work he relied on as a freelancer disappear as companies turned to AI
In the worst-case scenario, as many as eight million UK jobs could be at risk within the next three to five years, according to forecasts by the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank.
So far, however, the reality has been considerably less bleak than some forecasts suggested. Some businesses have even claimed that adopting AI has resulted in new jobs being created.
Speaking at the Labour Party conference on Monday, AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said there was, so far, no evidence that AI had caused an overall fall in employment.
The transformation may not yet be unfolding as rapidly as some AI leaders predicted, at least on paper. But my experience is proof that the threat is already having a serious impact.
The jobs most at risk
Those bearing the brunt appear to include graduates entering an exceptionally competitive jobs market, as well as older workers who lack the skills employers increasingly demand.
Telephone operators and office administration or support workers face the greatest risk of replacement, with an estimated 83 per cent likelihood, according to experts at Kickresume.
A Microsoft analysis of 200,000 conversations with a chatbot found that AI could perform at least 90 per cent of the tasks undertaken by historians and coders, 80 per cent of the work done by salespeople and journalists, and 75 per cent of the duties carried out by DJs and data scientists. Customer service assistants, financial advisers and product promoters were also identified as particularly exposed to automation.
In my case, the decline began quietly, as assignments gradually became harder to find.
Initially, AI seemed more like a distant and almost mythical threat. There were alarming accounts of fellow writers being affected by the rapid rise of ChatGPT, but I assumed people in my profession would remain safe for several more years.
By late 2024, though, it was obvious that something fundamental had changed. A large website I wrote consumer guides for abruptly stopped commissioning me. Like many freelance writers, I valued having a dependable source of income that I could supplement with more interesting and adventurous assignments.
Once that reliable work disappeared, I no longer had either the money or the time to pursue those more exciting opportunities.
It was only when I received a sheepish email from an editor that it finally hit home just how serious the situation was. He told me his company would be using AI to produce its writing. My regular £2,000 a month income dried up overnight.
Until last year, I had never wanted for work. My writing career was, by most measures, a massive success.
As I was self-employed, when the hammer did fall, I wasn’t entitled to any sort of pay-off or given the chance to give feedback to HR via an exit interview.
My initial reaction was one of rage. Officially, I followed the guidance of one of my early mentors, thanking senior staff for the work and expressing my hope that we would work together again soon. Unofficially, I spoke with my editor over WhatsApp about how furious I was, telling him they were making a terrible mistake. Like me, he was furious. Like me, he too soon found himself out of work.
Analysis by Microsoft found that AI could complete at least 90 per cent of the work carried out by historians and coders and 80 per cent of salespeople and journalists
For three months, I scrabbled around desperately looking for a new, regular gig to replace it. When it came, it involved editing copy written by an AI programme for a travel brand.
Naturally, I felt somewhat uncomfortable when the opportunity for regular work presented itself turned out to be editing AI-written travel pieces.
However, the pay was good and the job itself straightforward. While it was tedious at times, my contract was renewed and I felt a sense of stability return.
But to my horror, within eight months, I was told I’d unwittingly taught the AI software how to improve its own writing. My services weren’t needed any more.
I was told just a week before the end of my contract that it would not be renewed again. This time, there was no more writing work to fall back on. A career I had spent 25 years building had disintegrated.
A colossal impact
The impact on my finances and home life were immense. My taxable income fell by more than a third.
As someone with a lifelong anxiety condition, who’s also prone to bouts of depression, the stress was horrific.
I felt ashamed that I was unable to give my family the lifestyle that I wanted for them.
Thankfully, with my partner in full-time work in the NHS, we were able to hold it together, pay the mortgage and keep up my monthly pension contributions.
But holidays, trips out with the kids, takeaway coffee and subscriptions were all cut out.
Our credit card bill swelled. Our savings were depleted. It was abundantly clear that I needed to change tack. All the jobs I searched for on LinkedIn were either for roles reviewing AI copy or writing for social media.
Nothing appealed and those I did apply for came to nothing.
A dramatic career change
It was on the phone with my sister in December 2025, reminiscing about our grandparents’ garden and how we used to tend it, that she suggested I take that childhood passion and turn it into a business.
I had my own garden, which I adored, and an urge to work outdoors, as far away from AI as possible. I began by making flyers offering my gardening services and posted them around the local area.
I set up an Instagram page and I messaged friends on local WhatsApp groups about my plans. Soon, friends were calling on me for jobs and leaving reviews on Google. My new work as a gardener snowballed.
A couple at my local gym saw my poster and asked me to build them a pond. In June this year I dug into the dirt and created a space for newts and frogs, joined by robins and goldfinches as I worked, looking out across the Hope Valley in the heart of the Peak District. At that moment, I knew I’d made the right decision.
Dario Amodei, chief executive of AI start-up Anthropic claimed that Artificial Intelligence could wipe out half of entry level white-collar employment
It hasn’t been without its challenges. My earnings fluctuate wildly from as little as £750 a month to £3,000, although decades as a freelancer mean I am good at budgeting. The credit card bill has been paid. Our finances are on a more even keel.
I’m not the only one who has had to deal with this abrupt change.
One old friend has quit the music industry to retrain as a counsellor while another writer I know retrained and went into NHS mental health services.
Safeguard your career
The reality is that there is plenty of work that can be done outside of AI’s reach. These tend to be more trade-oriented roles, where human trust is valued by customers who want a connection and a relationship with someone who has expertise.
According to Microsoft’s analysis, tradespeople such as painter-decorators, cleaners and roofers tend to be the safest from the rise of AI.
If you fear that AI could have your job in its sights, take a step back and consider what you enjoy doing and what you’re good at. Do you enjoy DIY? Could this lead to work as a plasterer, an electrician or plumber? Or do you like working with people?
It’s more than likely that you have picked up transferrable skills from your day job that you can apply to a new occupation.
A career as a teacher, police officer, midwife or nurse might be a good option. Some switches will be easier than others. It’s important to consider whether you will need to retrain or obtain any qualifications. It’s never too late to retrain but you will need to set time aside to learn the skills required.
It’s also vital to keep your finances in order to cushion them from a shock. Most workers should set some money aside for a rainy day.
Having a pot ready in case anything goes wrong, such as losing your job, will allow you to absorb the cost without going into debt.
Keep this in an easy-access savings account so you can get your hands on it quickly.
Experts say you need between three to six months of spending.
It may feel as if AI is everywhere, especially in the workplace. And, despite what has happened to me, I know it has a value, as long as guardrails and strong regulations are placed around it.
It may seem a leap but it is possible to find work that is satisfying and beyond the reach of the robots. You might just need a little gumption to make the dream a reality.
Have you switched careers? We’d like to hear from you. Email moneymail@dailymail.co.uk
