Back in August I shared some research showing Q1 2026 is when AI-driven displacement accelerates. Not gradually over five years. Fast. Concentrated. Starting in a few weeks.
Since then, I’ve had a couple dozen conversations with people who read it.
Every single one says: “I see it. I know you’re right. I can see it happening at my company.”
Then they ask: “So what should I do?”
I think they already know.
What they’re asking is: “Can you give me permission to believe this is actually happening?”
One guy has had the same pitch deck open for two months. He keeps refining it.
“When are you sending it?”
“I want to make sure it’s ready.”
It’s been ready.
Someone else got laid off four months ago. Applied to 150 jobs. She told me about a business idea she’s had for years. Knows who the first clients would be. Knows what she’d charge.
“So why aren’t you doing it?”
“Because that’s not a real job.”
The gap between knowing and doing isn’t an information problem.
They have the information. They see the data. They believe the timeline.
What they can’t see is what they’re doing instead of what they’re saying they’ll do.
There’s something more interesting to me than what people know they should do.
I’m usually more curious about why they don’t.
People seem to know what to do, but we’re in the “preparation theater” stage.
They’re researching. Taking courses. Optimizing LinkedIn. Refining the plan.
It all feels productive. It all feels like preparation.
But you don’t learn by analyzing the thing. You learn by doing the thing.
The feedback only comes from action.
If I’m even roughly right, the first few months of the new year will bring a lot of change.
Some people will spend them testing, building, adjusting based on what they learn.
Most will spend them gathering more information about how to prepare.
Which one are you doing?