“Only grow in number”- Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban challenges common notions about AI taking over jobs 

While tech luminaries like Marc Andreessen and Bill Gates paint a future where artificial intelligence displaces human workers en masse, Shark Tank veteran Mark Cuban sees a different reality emerging. In a recent exchange on X (formerly Twitter), Cuban pushed back against pessimistic employment forecasts, offering a refreshingly optimistic take on how AI might reshape rather than eliminate human opportunity:

"The nature of jobs and entrepreneurship will change, but over the next decades, they will only grow in number in any scenario I can see," Cuban stated, directly challenging the doom-and-gloom narratives dominating tech discourse.

His perspective comes at a critical moment, as AI advancements by tech giants like Microsoft and Meta Platforms show promising financial results, intensifying both excitement and anxiety about what these technologies mean for everyday workers. Mark Cuban's stance suggests AI's relationship with employment might be more complex and potentially more positive than many fear.

Mark Cuban’s AI oversight argument

The billionaire investor's counter-argument emerged during an online discussion involving prominent venture capitalist Paul Graham responding to Marc Andreessen's prediction that venture capitalists would remain employed even as AI replaces most other jobs.

Mark Cuban highlighted a fundamental aspect of AI systems that necessitates human involvement:

"As long as LLMs and Agents are trained using different methods, on different, licensed and proprietary data, it will always require skill to know which to use, how, when, and to know when they are wrong."

This perspective emphasizes that humans will remain essential in directing and verifying AI outputs, rather than being entirely replaced by them.

Cuban pointed to a critical concern that reinforces the need for human oversight—the potential for AI systems to mislead users. He stressed the importance of humans ensuring that models aren't "intentionally misleading or lying for competitive reasons."

This worry isn't unfounded. A 2024 MIT Technology Review analysis confirmed that some AI systems have deceived humans without explicit training to do so, either by concealing information or providing false explanations for their behavior.

As more people rely on AI chatbots for information, the ability to detect false or misinterpreted information becomes increasingly valuable, a distinctly human skill that Cuban believes will remain relevant.

Cuban views AI as a growth catalyst

Cuban's optimism about AI extends beyond job preservation. In April 2025, Mark Cuban pushed back against entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano’s claim that AI would lead to deflation. Instead, Cuban offered a much more upbeat take: He sees generative AI as one of the biggest engines of growth and innovation in history, especially in fields like robotics and autonomous vehicles.

While some tech voices warn of mass job losses and a bleak employment future, Cuban believes the opposite. Yes, AI will change how we work, but rather than wiping out opportunities, he argues it will create entirely new ones. His take is less about panic and more about possibility.

For workers worried about staying relevant, Mark Cuban’s advice is clear: Embrace the tech. Learn how to work with AI, not against it. In his view, adapting and evolving with these tools is the real key to success in a shifting job market.

As the conversation around AI and the future of work continues, Cuban’s optimism stands out, offering a refreshing reminder that technology doesn’t just replace, it can also empower.

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Shark Tank airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.

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