Ali Abdaal
June 18, 2026
TL;DR
Master AI usage, move closer to revenue generation in your role, and build a personal brand to remain valuable and competitive as AI automates routine work.
“In a world where our AI overlords take over, there will still need to be some kind of commerce happening. And the people who are closest to revenue generation are the people who are the safest.”
— Speaker
“Everyone working in anything other than sales and marketing probably think of sales and marketing as being scammy... but the more you can get yourself as close to the revenue generation as possible, the more likely you are to thrive in a post AI world.”
— Speaker
“Personal branding when you're doing it on the internet is really just about being a teacher... you're posting stuff for free on the internet which is able to be watched by anyone anywhere in the world and then they view you as a thought leader in that subject.”
— Speaker
“Sales is literally what keeps the economy alive... the highest paid people in a company often are the sales people, not necessarily even the CEO.”
— Speaker
1. Skill 1: Using AI Effectively
Stay current with AI developments by actively using tools, following Twitter conversations, understanding platforms like Claude, CodeX, and Perplexity, and watching major AI conference talks. Apply these tools to your own business and work rather than passively observing.
2. Skill 2: Getting Close to Revenue Generation
Jobs have three components: making money (revenue), doing the work, and administration. As AI automates execution and operations, those closest to revenue generation—winning clients and customers—remain most valuable. Partners, salespeople, and leaders who bring in money are safest in an AI world.
3. Building Revenue-Focused Roles
Even traditionally cost-center roles like customer success can become profit centers when designed to reduce churn and extend customer lifetime value. The key is connecting your role explicitly to the company's bottom line.
4. Skill 3: Personal Branding Fundamentals
Build a professional reputation both through word-of-mouth recommendations and online presence. Create content on LinkedIn, YouTube, or newsletters sharing your expertise and experiences. Personal branding is simply teaching—making yourself known as a thought leader in your niche.
5. Niche Fame vs. Mass Fame
You don't need to be famous globally; be known within your industry. Combine word-of-mouth personal brand (people who know you in person) with online brand (industry peers who encounter your content) to maximize influence and opportunity.
6. Sales as the Core Skill
Sales—broadly defined as persuasion, negotiation, stakeholder management, and expressing ideas—is the most resilient skill in an AI world. Unlike technical skills being democratized by AI, the human ability to convince others remains uniquely valuable.
7. Understanding Business Economics
Businesses exist to serve customers and make money. The more you understand how your role connects to revenue and profitability, the better you can negotiate raises, switch jobs, or start businesses. Market value is based on supply, demand, and money-generation ability.