Anticipating Massive Industry Changes: Facing the Uncertainty of My Future in the Coming Years

Facing an Uncertain Future in E-Commerce: The Impact of AI on My Career

As a 30-year-old who has dedicated over half my life to the e-commerce industry, I’m grappling with an unprecedented shift that could redefine my professional path. My journey began at the age of 14, and since 2015, I’ve climbed the ranks within various e-commerce agencies. My roles have evolved from sales to positions like Director of Project Management, Director of Operations, and currently, Director of Partnerships. Throughout these years, I have been heavily involved in web development, design projects, and extensive SEO campaigns, managing budgets that ranged from $20,000 to well over $1 million. I’ve also spearheaded numerous strategies focused on conversion rate optimization, user experience design, and upselling.

However, the landscape is changing rapidly, and the influence of artificial intelligence is more significant than I ever imagined. A striking example is a former agency I was affiliated with, which once employed 25 skilled copywriters in its SEO department. When I caught up with a friend from that agency recently, I learned that they now only have four writers on staff. Interestingly, their monthly billable hours have increased by $20,000 since my departure, thanks in part to AI taking over much of the junior writers’ workload. The remaining senior writers now mainly focus on refining AI-generated content to ensure it remains compliant with copyright standards.

At another agency, a significant transition took place when the entire US development team was let go, replaced by a team from LATAM that utilizes ChatGPT for most of their project communications through tools like Jira and Slack.

Although I don’t foresee an outright collapse of the industry, I’m acutely aware that we are on the cusp of a substantial transformation. AI tools are starting to automate tasks that were once vital components of the industry, such as creating websites from Figma designs or generating precise code for upsell implementations without any development expertise. The advancements in AI-driven search and prompt-based optimization signal a gradual shift away from traditional SEO methods, and it’s a phenomenon I’m observing in real time.

With this imminent change looming over me, I find myself at a crossroads. Currently pursuing my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, I’m contemplating a pivot back to a Head of Project Management or Senior PM role in an entirely different sector. While my future remains uncertain, it’s clear that the implications of AI are reshaping my field in ways that are both exciting and dis