Who am I?

Hello and welcome to my next article in the AI Knowledge Hub! 🙋‍♂️

My name is Jacob Kowalski - a corporate tax consultant from Poland who is really into AI technology.

I create many very cool things with AI: chatbots, AI assistants, automations, agents, etc. 🤖 

I think we are living in the biggest revolution of our generation and want to share my thoughts about it.

Maybe some of you will find it interesting, or maybe you want to share your take on this too.

If you want to know more about me and what I am doing, check out my page with the button below. 👇

Do It By Yourself!

Hi everyone! 👋

I want this article to be more open, conversational, and to give you some perspective on the topic rather than strict AI solutions.

As you may have seen so far, AI does more and more work for us, which is leading to more and more time for ourselves (atleast in theory).

On the other side, we are seeing that AI is taking over more and more jobs we have been doing for decades.

I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I think I've found some patterns and reached some interesting conclusions which I want to share with you.

Let's get into it! 👇

The Great Workforce Compression

Take a look around your office or wherever you work, right now and count the people.

Now imagine that same amount of work being done by just one person and AI - let’s say an army of AI agents. Sounds impossible? That's exactly what people said about every technology revolution many times in the history.

The pattern has been playing out for centuries, and we're just so close to see it.

Before the Industrial Revolution, the majority of the world's population worked in agriculture. 9 out of every 10 people you knew were farmers. Entire communities dedicated to growing food, caring for livestock, working the land from sunrise to sunset.

Then came the machines - steam engines, mechanized plows, harvesters.

Suddenly, one person could do the work of ten. After the adoption of the new technology, just over 1 out of 5 people, worked on the land. The "impossible" had happened – we went from 90% farmers to 20% in less than a century.

But people didn't disappear. They moved to factories. They adapted to the new reality, developed new skills and found a different jobs.

Fast forward another century. Computers arrived and did the same thing to factory work that machines did to farming. Administrative tasks that required entire departments could now be handled by software. Assembly lines became automated. The same people became knowledge workers sitting in offices, managing information, creating content and solving different problems.

Now, we are back in the present - does the current situation with AI look similar to the ones in the past?

Every technological leap follows the same pattern:

• New technology arrives (steam, electricity, computers, AI)

• Productivity per person skyrockets (one person does the work of many)

• Workforce needs shrink (fewer people needed for the same output)

• People adapt and move to the next level (farm → factory → office → ?)

The "?" is what we're living through right now.

AI isn't just another productivity tool – it's the steam engine of knowledge work. Just like tractors didn't make farming disappear (we just needed fewer farmers), AI won't make work disappear. It'll just compress teams down to their essential core.

The question isn't whether this compression will happen. History shows us it's inevitable.

The question is: will you be the one person left standing, or will you be part of the 80% who need to find something new?

Because if the pattern holds – and it always has – we're about to witness the greatest workforce compression in human history.

And for the first time ever, that compression leads to teams of one.

The New Business Reality

There is a common thought that starting a million dollar company mean raising millions, hiring dozens of emloyees, and building complex infrastructure.

This belief will belong to the ancient history in the near future.

Let me tell you about a company called Lovable that's completely rewriting the startup playbook. They went from $0 to $30M annual recurring revenue in just 120 days with a team of 18 people.

Think about that for a second – that's more than $1M revenue per employee.

But here's the kicker: they burned only $2M to get there.

In the old world, you'd need 200+ employees and $50M+ in funding to reach those numbers.

What does Lovable actually do? They built an AI tool that lets anyone create working software just by describing what they want - you can check more here.

This isn't just a luck. It's a preview of the new trend. Lovable was the most popular case, but I see that the more companies are achiving similar results.

We're witnessing the further development of "impossible" business models.

The same applies for solopreneurs - one person running a business.

First it was an internet which changed the game once. Suddenly, one person could build a personal brand, reach a global audience, and earn a living online.

YouTubers, bloggers, course creators, and freelancers discovered they didn't need a company – they could BE the company.

But even then, there were limits. You still needed designers for graphics, developers for websites, writers for content, and assistants for admin work.

AI just removed those limits entirely.

Now, that same solopreneur can generate professional designs, build complex websites, write compelling content, manage customer relationships, handle bookkeeping, and even create video content – all without hiring a single person.

The democratization of business that the internet started, AI is completing. For the first time in history, one person truly can do it all.

There is a perfect quote of Sam Altman, Open AI CEO:

“AI will make it possible for one person to build a billion dollar company very soon“

Every Job is Beocming an AI Job

Some time ago, I’ve adopted one notion that would have been impossible to say just five years ago: I can now wake up tomorrow and decide to be whatever I want professionally - and you can too.

Want to be a writer? AI helps you with research, outlinining, and polishing your content.

Want to be a YouTuber? AI generates your scripts, creates thumbnails, and even helps with video editing.

Want to be a website developer? AI builds entire websites from simple descriptions.

Want to be a graphic designer? AI creates professional visuals for you.

The only barriers left are creativity and AI knowledge - this is what you should focus on in the new economy.

Think about what this means.

Every traditional career path that required years of training, expensive education, or hiring specialists is now accessible to anyone willing to learn how to work with AI.

You don't need to spend four years learning to code – you need to learn how to explain what you want to AI. You don't need art school to create stunning visuals – you just need to master prompt engineering and you will be all right.

We're looking now at the complete democratization of professional skills.

Right now solopreneurs have access to a diverse toolkit of AI-powered solutions that make building and scaling a business more accessible than ever before.

But here's the one important and scary thing most people are missing: this isn't only about new opportunities. It's also about survival.

In the future there won't be "non-AI" digital services anymore. Every business, every service, every digital product will have AI baked into it. The companies that don't adapt will simply be outcompeted by those that do.

Your competition isn't just other humans anymore – it's humans working with AI. And most big companies are expecting their workforce to learn a new AI skills.

What I'm trying to say is that you won't escape AI integration. Sure, you can cut yourself off from technology and live like a hermit, but is it worth it?

Whether you like it or not, AI is becoming part of every job.

Marketing uses AI for content and analytics. Sales uses AI for lead generation and customer insights. Even traditional jobs like accounting, legal work, and healthcare are being transformed by AI tools.

The positive side is that once you embrace this reality, you realize that every traditional career path has been cracked wide open. The gatekeepers are gone. The barriers are down.

The only question is: who do you want to be?

Employee Path Is No Longer Safe

I will start this section with something uncomfortable but completely real.

When you are checking the tech news, you’re most probably seeing more and more headlines about layoffs due to AI, for now only in big tech companies. Nevertheless, try to guess what will happen when AI adoption covers most businesses.

Companies often use terms like "reorganization," "restructuring," and "optimization" in job cuts, while AI may be at work more than they want employees to know.

The job market will no longer be the same in the near future. It will be fundamentally broken for employees - more on this in my first article here.

Now let's talk about the money side of this mess. You can probably see that even though you have get a yearly salary increases, the costs of living are skyrocketing so much that effectively your purchasing power is stagnant or even decreasing.

This is especially true in my country - Poland (but not only here), where the cost of living (rent) and the housing market have gotten out of control so much that it is almost impossible for an “average employees” to buy a standard house or flat without a mortgage loan.

On the other side, the education system that was supposed to prepare you for success is completely out of touch with reality.

College degrees have almost no meaning in today’s job market.

You spent four years learning things you can Google in four seconds.

The harsh truth is that most of what schools teach is either outdated or instantly available online. They prepared you for a world of information scarcity, but we live in a world of information abundance.

They taught you to memorize facts, but AI can recall any fact instantly. They taught you to follow instructions, but the economy rewards people who can think creatively and adapt quickly.

Here's what nobody wants to tell you: "normal work" as an employee doesn't guarantee you a comfortable life anymore.

Unless you climb the ladder to become a mid-level manager or higher, you're essentially trapped in a cycle of salary stagnation while costs keep rising. You're trading your time for money that buys the same or less each year.

Of course, some companies and jobs are more rewarding both in terms of salary and internal motivation, but unforutnately, for most people, the above situation is usually the case.

But there is something that could change the situation a little bit - solopreneurship!

You can start with something as a hobby and change it into a business.

Instead of binge-watching Netflix or TikTok, you can build something that grows with you, adapts with the market, and increases your worth both in terms of money and as a human.

For most people the "safe" employee path isn't safe anymore. It's time to build your own.

Transformation Path

Alright, enough doom and gloom. Let's talk about the escape plan.

The good news is that learning has never been easier or more accessible. Forget expensive universities and outdated textbooks – your education is now available 24/7, often for free.

YouTube has become the world's largest university.

Want to learn AI prompt engineering? There are hundreds of channels teaching it.

Need to understand business fundamentals? Thousands of hours of content from successful entrepreneurs.

Looking to master a specific tool? Step-by-step tutorials are waiting for you.

Paid courses on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare offer structured learning paths for under $50 – less than a price of a single college textbook.

Blogs from industry experts give you real-world insights that no academic theory can match.

AI itself can act as your personal tutor, explaining concepts, answering questions, and helping you practice skills at your own pace.

Here's my step-by-step transition plan:

Step 1: Find Your Zone of Genius 

Pick an area or interest that genuinely excites you – something where solving problems feels like fun rather than work.

This could be anything: helping small businesses with marketing, creating content, building websites, consulting on productivity, or teaching others a skill you've mastered.

Your passion will fuel you through the inevitable challenges.

Step 2: Turn Interest Into Intelligence 

Learn everything you can about this area. Watch YouTube videos, take online courses, read industry blogs, join relevant communities.

But don't just consume – practice.

Build projects, experiment with tools, make mistakes, and learn from them.

Step 3: Identify Real Problems 

Research what problems people actually face in your chosen area.

Join Facebook groups, browse Reddit, check out industry forums. Listen to what people are complaining about, struggling with, or desperately seeking help for.

Step 4: Develop Problem-Solving Skills 

Learn the specific skills needed to solve these problems.

If it's marketing, master AI content creation and analytics tools.

If it's web development, learn how to work with AI code generators.

If it's consulting, develop frameworks and processes that deliver consistent results.

Step 5: Start Small, Think Big 

Begin with small projects – help a friend, offer free services to build a portfolio, or create content showcasing your skills.

Document everything you do and share your learning journey online.

The future-proofing strategy is simple but not easy.

Here is what you need to succeed in the future:

Constant Learning: The moment you stop learning is the moment you start becoming irrelevant. Set aside time every week to explore new tools, techniques, and trends in your field.

Problem-Solving Focus: Always think in terms of problems you can solve for others. Markets reward solutions, not just skills.

Share Your Journey: Document your wins, failures, experiments, and insights. Create content around your learning process. People love following transformation stories.

Build Your Internet Tribe: Connect with like-minded people online. Engage in communities, comment on posts, share valuable insights. Your network becomes your net worth.

Show Your Value: Don't just tell people you're good at something – prove it with real examples, case studies, and results.

Have Fun With It: This isn't just about survival – it's about building a life you actually enjoy. If you're not having fun, you're probably on the wrong path.

The transition from employee to solopreneur isn't a sprint – it's a marathon with multiple pit stops. Start today, even if it's just 30 minutes of learning something new. Your future self will thank you for taking that first step.

Summary

Congrats! You have managed to come to the end!

This is the topic that really resonates with me and I see a great potential with the solopreneurs economy - I hope it will happen sooner or later.

I hope this gave you some perspective and insight about this topic.

If you have similar thoughts or you are completely disagreeing with me - let me know.

Thanks for reading.

Jacob

Sources

I’ve prepared this article based on the sources listed below:

• https://shotcast.substack.com/p/from-zero-to-30m-arr-in-120-days