Marc Andreessen recently argued that “AI will do everything except what he is doing, venture capital.” In his view, most professions will eventually be automated, with venture capital standing apart because of its dependence on judgment, psychology, and relationships.
In a Fox News interview on May 15, 2025, the founder of Brighterion explained that while AI will not eliminate most jobs. You can view that interview here. Work is more than data. It is rooted in empathy, trust, and human judgment, qualities that machines cannot replicate.
Medicine Is More Than Science
When I conducted my doctoral research at Necker Hospital in Paris, applying AI to medical diagnosis, a distinguished professor told me something simple but profound: “Medicine is an art.” Two patients with the same condition may feel pain differently. The placebo effect works not because of data, but because of the mind. Healing requires compassion and presence. Machines can assist physicians, but they cannot comfort a patient, provide hope, or understand suffering.
The Human Touch Cannot Be Automated
The same is true in caregiving and education. A nurse offering comfort at the bedside, a teacher encouraging a struggling student, or a caregiver helping an elderly parent all depend on empathy and human connection. These moments cannot be reduced to algorithms.
The Real World Is Unpredictable
Many jobs take place in unstructured and unpredictable environments. Plumbers, electricians, and mechanics face problems that do not follow a script. No algorithm can crawl under a sink or reassure a worried homeowner. These professions require adaptability, improvisation, and emotional intelligence that machines do not possess.
The Limits of AI
AI can process vast amounts of information, but it does not understand meaning. It does not feel joy, sadness, or empathy. It cannot explain its reasoning or weigh moral choices. It does not know what it means to hold a warm cup of coffee or to lose someone you love. Without that depth of human experience, AI cannot make the kind of judgments people make every day.
History Shows the Pattern
Every major technological shift has transformed work but rarely eliminated it. The calculator did not make math teachers obsolete, it allowed them to focus on ideas rather than manual calculation. Spreadsheets did not erase accountants, they expanded their capabilities. AI will follow the same path. It will reshape professions, create new ones, and enhance productivity, but it will not hollow out the essence of human work.
Where Andreessen Went Wrong
Andreessen is correct that venture capital depends on relationships and trust. His error lies in assuming that these qualities are unique to his profession. In reality, empathy, judgment, and lived experience define medicine, education, law, diplomacy, social work, and countless other professions. If these qualities protect venture capital from automation, they protect many other fields as well.
The Human Future of Work
AI is a powerful tool. It will automate routine tasks, enhance human abilities, and create entirely new industries. But it will not do everything. The future of work belongs not to machines but to people who learn to use machines wisely.
Andreessen is right about one thing. Some work is timeless. But it is not only venture capital. What truly endures is humanity itself.
