Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu lists jobs that are not in danger of being replaced by AI

Sridhar Vembu explains why some jobs will survive the AI revolution

Amid growing anxiety over artificial intelligence replacing human jobs, Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho, has argued that many meaningful forms of work will remain untouched by AI because they were never driven by money in the first place.

In a post on X, Vembu said AI could challenge people whose sense of self-worth is closely tied to economic output or intellectual status. However, he pointed out that activities such as caring for children and the elderly, teaching, farming by choice, forest conservation, temple rituals, and the pursuit of classical music are sustained by passion and purpose rather than financial incentives. According to him, people engaged in such work are unlikely to feel threatened by AI, and humanity may increasingly reorganise itself around these pursuits.

If our notion of self-worth comes from the economic value we add, or if it comes our intellectual pretense (*cough*), AI may pose a serious challenge to our self-worth. On the other hand no one takes up activities like taking care of children, teaching children, taking care of…

— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) February 27, 2026

Vembu's post sparks debate

Vembu’s remarks quickly triggered debate online. One user countered that passion-driven work cannot survive without economic backing, arguing that history shows art and culture flourish only when surplus wealth exists. The user cited Renaissance Florence, where artists thrived under the financial patronage created by powerful banking families, and warned that if AI weakens economic engines, funding for such pursuits could dry up.

Responding to this, Vembu urged critics to move beyond a money-centric view. He said AI and related technologies could dramatically increase the production of goods and services, but the real challenge would be ensuring people can consume that output in a world where productivity no longer generates enough jobs or incomes. Drawing an analogy with ancient temples, he noted that artisans were supported through surplus distributed by rulers, not wages in the modern sense.

Vembu added that once technology creates abundance without employment, societies will need political and economic solutions to distribute that surplus. He suggested two broad paths: one where people are encouraged to spend time in nature, culture, art, sports, spirituality, and caregiving, and another where mechanisms like Universal Basic Income are adopted. Different societies, he said, may choose different combinations of these approaches.

Another user offered a contrasting view, arguing that AI will create new kinds of work by enabling humanity to solve long-standing problems from rebuilding cities to improving quality of life.