AI won’t decide our future—policy will. Like past technological revolutions, AI has the potential to both displace and create jobs, but the net effect will depend on how society adapts. Routine, repetitive roles are the most vulnerable, which could widen inequality if workers are left behind. At the same time, history shows that disruptive technologies—from mechanization to the internet—eventually generated entirely new industries and employment opportunities, many of which were unimaginable at the outset. AI can follow this path by creating demand for new skills in system design, ethics, governance, and human–AI collaboration. The real challenge lies in education, reskilling, and equitable access: without these, inequality will deepen, but with them, AI could democratize productivity and spread opportunity.