Bill Gates helped put a computer on nearly every desk. Now, the Microsoft co-founder is warning that artificial intelligence could leave many of those desks empty.

“Many jobs will disappear forever,” Gates wrote in a sweeping new essay (1) about the risks and opportunities created by AI.

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He believes entry- and mid-level positions face the greatest immediate danger. Sales, customer support, software engineering and paralegal work may be among the first affected, but Gates expects the disruption to spread across law, medicine, manufacturing, construction and hospitality.

“It will hit these industries rapidly,” Gates wrote, “over the course of a decade rather than a few generations.”

He acknowledged that new jobs will emerge, but warned that, without the right policies, there could be “far fewer than exist today.”

“There is no plan to ease the entry into the AI era,” Gates wrote.

His timeline is far from guaranteed, but workers can still prepare for a possible interruption to their income.

AI could turn layoffs into lasting displacement

Economic downturns commonly eliminate jobs before demand eventually returns. Gates believes AI presents a different problem because a position automated out of existence may never come back.

Market forces could accelerate that transition. Once one business uses AI or robots to cut costs, competitors may feel pressure to adopt the same technology. Workers could then face the expensive process of retraining while trying to cover their bills without their previous income.

Gates cited Stanford research (2) that found workers ages 22 to 25 in AI-exposed occupations experienced a 16% relative employment decline after researchers controlled for firm-level shocks. Employment among more experienced workers remained stable.

“The jobs at most risk are entry- and mid-level,” he wrote, warning that the effects will spread as AI becomes capable of completing more work without human supervision.

Gates has called for stronger safety nets and retraining programs, along with taxes on AI and robots. He also proposed setting aside “Human Reserved” roles that society chooses to keep in human hands.

“Waiting until people are already displaced or underemployed will be too late,” Gates warned. Turning those ideas into policy, however, could take years.

You can begin preparing much sooner.

Read More: Millionaires under 43 hold only 32% of their wealth in stocks. Here’s where their money is actually going

Build an emergency runway before you need it

A good place to start is by calculating the monthly cost of keeping your household operational. Include housing, groceries, utilities, insurance, transportation, minimum debt payments and essential medical expenses. Then you’d calculate for six months to a year of those expenses.

So if your costs add up to $4,000 per month, a six-month emergency fund would require $24,000. Extending that runway to nine months would require $36,000, while one year would require $48,000.

Those targets may appear overwhelming. Regular contributions can create meaningful breathing room. Even just saving $500 per month would produce $6,000 in one year before interest, potentially covering several critical bills during a job search.

Emergency savings should generally remain accessible and separate from money invested for long-term goals. Selling stocks during a downturn could lock in losses, while withdrawals from retirement accounts may produce taxes and penalties.

A high-yield account like a Wealthfront Cash Account can be a great place to grow your uninvested cash, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to your money when you need it.

A Wealthfront Cash Account currently offers a base APY of 3.55% through program banks, and new, referred clients can get an extra 1.00% boost with the direct deposit incentive for a total variable APY of 4.55%.

That’s over 10 times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC’s August report.

With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, you get access to up to $8M FDIC Insurance eligibility through program banks.

Make your retirement savings portable

Job loss is especially damaging when workers raid retirement accounts to survive.

After leaving an employer, you may be able to keep money in its existing plan, transfer it to a new employer’s plan, or roll it into an IRA. The best choice depends on the investments, fees, services and withdrawal rules attached to each option.

The IRS says (3) eligible distributions can generally continue growing tax-deferred when properly rolled into another retirement plan or IRA. Taking the money as cash can generate an income-tax bill and potentially an additional 10% tax unless an exception applies.

A self-directed retirement account can provide more control over how eligible retirement savings are invested while keeping them separate from any one employer.

IRA Financial gives you the freedom to invest in alternative assets like real estate, private equity, precious metals and crypto within a self-directed retirement account. And now you can add real-time, public market investing, powered by Interactive Brokers, a trusted global brokerage.

For the first time, you can manage both traditional and alternative assets seamlessly within a single self‑directed retirement structure, all for a flat fee.

Complete the application online in minutes to open your self‑directed retirement account with stock trading access powered by Interactive Brokers.

Regardless of where the money is held, keep records of every account you accumulate. A fragmented career could leave you with several old 401(k)s, making it easier to lose track of fees, investments and beneficiary information.

Diversify beyond today’s AI winners

Inarguably, AI has produced spectacular returns for some technology stocks. But retirement security should not depend on one company, sector, or prediction about the future.

Diversification spreads your money across assets that may respond differently to inflation, market volatility and economic disruption. That can include broad stock and bond holdings, cash, real estate and a measured allocation to precious metals.

One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of American Hartford Gold.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account — combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.

Even better, you can often roll over existing 401(k) or IRA accounts into a gold IRA without tax-related penalties. To learn more, get your free 2025 information guide on investing in precious metals.

Qualifying purchases can also receive up to $25,000 in free silver.

Stress-test your financial firewall

Any good job loss plan should answer several uncomfortable questions. How long could you cover essential expenses without a paycheck? Which costs could you cut immediately? Where are your retirement accounts held? How much of your portfolio is concentrated in your employer or the technology sector?

A financial advisor can help calculate that runway, review your asset allocation and identify gaps before an emergency.

Advisor.com connects you with an expert near you for free. The platform vets advisors based on their track records, client ratios and regulatory backgrounds and its network consists of fiduciaries who are legally required to act in their clients’ best interests.

Enter a few details about your finances and goals and Advisor.com’s AI-powered matching tool will connect you with a qualified expert suited to your financial goals and preferences.

You can then arrange a free initial consultation, with no obligation to hire, to determine whether the advisor is a good fit.

No financial strategy can make job loss painless. A strong cash reserve, portable retirement savings, a diversified portfolio and a plan built before trouble arrives can give you something almost as valuable as certainty: Time to decide what comes next.