TL;DR: My assertion that "most future jobs will be in sales" is widely misunderstood. It's not about the transactional sales of today. It's about a future "Experience Economy"—a 3.0 society where AI and robotics have made most standard goods (food, clothing, housing) nearly free. In this world, "work" and "value" are completely redefined. Human value will shift from production to experience delivery. This article explores this future, the "Experience Economy," and why the East and West currently operate on two fundamentally different economic stages, leading to a deep misunderstanding of what "wealth" truly means.
I am James, CEO of Mercury Technology Solutions.
My recent prediction that most future jobs will be in "sales" has been met with significant misunderstanding.
When I say "sales," you immediately picture the traditional salesperson, forcing a deal over a client dinner. But this is a failure of imagination, a limitation of our current perspective. The "sales" of the future has almost nothing to do with the "sales" of today.
To understand this, we must first understand that the very definition of "value" is fluid and determined by the technological stage of society. In ancient times, a used piece of clothing could be pawned. Today, you're lucky if someone will take it for free. In developed nations, you now have to pay a disposal fee to get rid of your old furniture—a concept that would be unimaginable to our ancestors.
The Evolution of Work: From 1.0 to 3.0
Let's model human society as a game, progressing through different versions.
- Society 1.0 (Scarcity): Humans start with nothing. Every material good—food, shelter, clothing—is scarce and must be acquired. All value is tied to production and survival.
- Society 2.0 (Mass Production): This is our current stage, more or less. We have "default equipment." Basic education is free. Technology has made many goods cheap. But our primary economic model is still based on the production and exchange of goods and specialized services.
- Society 3.0 (The Post-AI Era): As AI and robotics reach maturity, they will be able to provide a near-infinite supply of standard goods. At this point, these items may exit the monetary system entirely. Basic, non-logo clothing? You receive a monthly voucher. Standardized meals? You get three per day. Non-scarce housing? Free, up to a certain size.
In this 3.0 world, where AI and robots handle production, what is left to pay for? The answer is human experience.
The Rise of the "Experience Salesperson"
Why do you go to a Michelin-star restaurant when you can cook at home? You are paying for the atmosphere, the service, the feeling, the experience.
In the 3.0 era, money is the medium of exchange for curated human experiences. I serve you, you earn my money. You serve me, I earn yours. Your economic value is no longer in your ability to "do" a task—AI is better at execution and robots are stronger. Your only value is in your ability to use AI and robots to deliver a unique and compelling experience to another human.
The "salesperson" of the future is an "experience broker." They are the person who "shows you how to play." The person who can make life interesting. This is not just about tour guides. It's about the person who curates a perfect gaming session, the person who designs an immersive educational journey, the person who facilitates a profound community connection.
We can see the seeds of this in the current creator economy—the Li Jiaqis and Dong Yuhuis of the world. But this is just the 1.5 stage. In the future, this will be the norm.
The East vs. West Divide: A Fundamental Misunderstanding of Wealth
It's hard to visualize this 3.0 world from our current 1.5 or 2.0 vantage point, especially in Asia where we are still hyper-focused on value-for-money.
This leads to a deep misunderstanding of global capital flows. I'm often asked why a wealthy person from China, a country with low inflation, would move their money to the US, a country with high inflation. "Why would you go be a sucker? Why pay $200 for something that costs $100 at home?"
The question is logical, but it misses a critical variable. It only sees "purchasing power." It fails to see "purchasing radius."
Your money has two functions: its power (what it can buy) and its radius (what it is allowed to buy).
In some markets, you cannot build a private, single-family home in the best part of the city. Not because you can't afford it, but because it is not permitted. The demand exists, but the option does not. If you are wealthy, your stomach is only so big. You can only eat so much. Your demand for material goods hits a ceiling.
What happens when all your material desires are met? You begin to desire experiences.
Have you seen MrBeast's videos?
- A group of people stand on a lawn. The last one to leave wins $500,000.
- A man lives on a private jet for 100 days. If he succeeds, he wins the jet.
- A military tank vs. a Lamborghini. If the tank wins, the contestant wins the car.
What do you notice? Money is not just for buying things. Money is for playing.
In the West, particularly in the US, money has a massive "purchasing radius." The financial markets are not just for investing; they are a grand, high-stakes game. It's a daily spectacle. Tycoons are like bounty-givers, buying other people's time and life experiences. Retail investors are there to gamble, hoping to win the jet or the Lamborghini. Nobody is in the game just to "make money to go home and impress their relatives." They are there for the thrill.
This is the 2.5 stage. The US financial markets, which account for over 60% of global market cap, are a "wasting" economy. They are a casino. It's a society of people lying on a mountain of chocolate. At first, you eat it. Then, when you can't possibly eat anymore, you start... well, melting it down, playing with it, wasting it.
Conclusion: We Are All Becoming Game Designers
This is the future of work. As AI and robotics take over the "production" of the chocolate, we are all left to figure out the most interesting ways to "play" with it.
Your job in the 3.0 era is to be an "experience salesperson." You are, in effect, the CEO of your own game company. You are the game designer, and your product is a curated experience.
Your value is determined by your ability to make life less boring, more meaningful, or more exciting for other humans. The currency is the same, but the product has fundamentally changed from goods to experiences.
The next time you find your AI "forgetting" a conversation, remember the 3.0 era. The AI will handle the boring, repetitive, productive tasks for free. Your job... your real job... is to be the one who knows how to play.
Mercury Technology Solutions: Accelerate Digitality.
