Can AI replace vocation?

(RNS) — I was having coffee with a friend, the father of two young daughters. He mentioned a growing concern: “I am not sure how to advise my girls regarding college. Is college even the right move for them? It seems like all these jobs are being lost to AI.”

While his daughters have a few years before they graduate from high school, the question is timely and valid. Current college students are feeling the pressure as well; a recent study noted that students are increasingly considering changing their majors due to the threat artificial intelligence poses to their industry.

AI is already reshaping the current job market. According to The Alliance for Secure AI, which has been actively tracking job losses due to artificial intelligence, more than 126,000 jobs have already been lost to AI.

RELATED: Pope Leo calls for government action to protect children and workers from AI

While some argue that AI will ultimately create more jobs than it eliminates , the anxiety around this shift is real and growing. For many, the uncertainty is about more than employment — it’s about meaning and purpose.

Between conversations over coffee, ministry forums and community…