--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While I can't tell you what people are…" description: "\"While I can't tell you what people are going to do for work 100 years from now, the future doesn't hinge on my imagination.\" — David Autor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/david-autor-14811_100-years_while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-g_2597239.jpg" --- # While I can't tell you what people are going to do for… ![“While I can't tell you what people are going to do for work 100 years from now, the future doesn't hinge on my imagination.” quote by David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/david-autor-14811_100-years_while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-g_2597239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/david-autor-14811_100-years_while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-g_2597239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/david-autor-14811_100-years_while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-g_2597239.jpg) > “While I can't tell you what people are going to do for work 100 years from now, the future doesn't hinge on my imagination.” [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Future work is unpredictable; imagination alone won’t shape it. **In simple terms:** We cannot predict jobs a century ahead; planning must be pragmatic. Key Takeaway Prepare adaptable skills. Themes future work uncertainty imagination Mood pragmatic curious Type economic inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - education policy - technology development - personal development Key Concepts economics technology Questions to Reflect On - What skills will stay relevant? - How can we influence future work? A Different Perspective May underestimate creative influence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [For a person who lives 100 years in the future, the present comes as no surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-schauberger/for-a-person-who-lives-100-years-in-the-future-the-present-comes-as/) [Viktor Schauberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-schauberger/) > [His Unique Selling Position was to make the world work for 100% of humanity. .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/his-unique-selling-position-was-to-make-the-world-work-for-100-of/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [I used to work about 100 hours a week; now it's about 70. But 40 hours? Forget about it. Either you're all in, or your not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-fadell/i-used-to-work-about-100-hours-a-week-now-it-s-about-70-but-40-hours/) [Tony Fadell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-fadell/) > [If you only have 10 examples of something, it's going to be hard to make deep learning work. If you have 100,000 things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dean/if-you-only-have-10-examples-of-something-it-s-going-to-be-hard-to/) [Jeff Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dean/) > [I believe that work should be done with 100 per cent dedication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vatsal-sheth/i-believe-that-work-should-be-done-with-100-per-cent-dedication/) [Vatsal Sheth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vatsal-sheth/) > [Most weeks, I work 100-plus hours on TheMuse.com. There are definitions of 'work-life balance' that would say I have none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-minshew/most-weeks-i-work-100-plus-hours-on-themuse-com-there-are-definitions/) [Kathryn Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-minshew/) > [Motherhood informs my work 100 per cent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-marais/motherhood-informs-my-work-100-per-cent/) [Jessica Marais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-marais/) > [I would say to any young black , if you get a job and you're asked to work 100%, then you work 125% and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-clarke/i-would-say-to-any-young-black-if-you-get-a-job-and-you-re-asked-to/) [Noel Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-clarke/) > [Been winning so many years and the future is brigh.t Now it's very clear. That we gon' be rich forever and ever and ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/been-winning-so-many-years-and-the-future-is-brigh-t-now-it-s-very/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [We have been working hard to think about what our combined needs are going to be in the way of intelligence capabilities, not today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-cambone/we-have-been-working-hard-to-think-about-what-our-combined-needs-are/) [Stephen Cambone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-cambone/) > [The youth of eighteen years his future is not aware, of the future of the country but can be fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mal-786/the-youth-of-eighteen-years-his-future-is-not-aware-of-the-future-of/) Mal\_786 > [When I was in Japan on tour in 2010, I felt like I was 30 years into the future. I love technology and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/when-i-was-in-japan-on-tour-in-2010-i-felt-like-i-was-30-years-into/) [Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/) > [I might be able to find out what happened 6,000 years ago but I will never know what happens 6,000 years in the future!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-french/i-might-be-able-to-find-out-what-happened-6-000-years-ago-but-i-will/) [Jackie French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-french/) > [My job as a mayor is to look 10, 15, 20 years into the future and think not just about my generation, but about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/my-job-as-a-mayor-is-to-look-10-15-20-years-into-the-future-and-think/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [“Short-termism also dominates in the marketplace. The market uses a discount rate of 10% per year (or more) when comparing costs now with benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-randers/short-termism-also-dominates-in-the-marketplace-the-market-uses-a/) Jørgen Randers ## More by David Autor > [The average worker in 2015 wanting to attain the average living standard in 1915 could do so by working just 17 weeks a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/the-average-worker-in-2015-wanting-to-attain-the-average-living/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [I did software development for a while, and I also spent several years directing a nonprofit in San Francisco that did computer education for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/i-did-software-development-for-a-while-and-i-also-spent-several-years/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [China's rise is really a kind of a world historical event. This is the largest country in the world. It has caused a wholesale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/china-s-rise-is-really-a-kind-of-a-world-historical-event-this-is-the/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [Computers were programmed to swap out error-prone, inconsistent human calculation with digital perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/computers-were-programmed-to-swap-out-error-prone-inconsistent-human/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [The end of the 'tech bubble' in the year 2000 is, of course, widely recognized, as the NASDAQ stock index erased three-quarters of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/the-end-of-the-tech-bubble-in-the-year-2000-is-of-course-widely/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [The U.S. tends to export high-tech goods because we have strong comparative advantage there, and we tend to import labor-intensive and less skill-intensive goods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/the-u-s-tends-to-export-high-tech-goods-because-we-have-strong/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [If I lose my job at a furniture factory where I've worked for decades, no amount of cheaper toys and raincoats at Wal-Mart is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/if-i-lose-my-job-at-a-furniture-factory-where-i-ve-worked-for-decades/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [I'm not yet convinced that we will face an unemployment problem created by AI. There will certainly be some occupations eliminated - drivers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/i-m-not-yet-convinced-that-we-will-face-an-unemployment-problem/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [Work is what structures adults' lives: it gives us purpose, focus, a set of responsibilities, and an identity. So when people are not participating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/work-is-what-structures-adults-lives-it-gives-us-purpose-focus-a-set/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [Economists have understood since the Victorian era that the main benefits of trade come from comparative advantage: the idea that people can specialize in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/economists-have-understood-since-the-victorian-era-that-the-main/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [Here's a startling fact: in the 45 years since the introduction of the automated teller machine, those vending machines that dispense cash, the number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/here-s-a-startling-fact-in-the-45-years-since-the-introduction-of-the/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [Workers and jobs are naturally heterogeneous, and the quality of their interaction when paired is difficult to forecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/workers-and-jobs-are-naturally-heterogeneous-and-the-quality-of-their/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [There's never been a better time to be a worker with special skills or the right education, because these people can use technology to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/there-s-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-worker-with-special-skills-2/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [There's always new work to do. Adjusting to the rapid pace of technological change creates real challenges, seen most clearly in our polarized labor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/there-s-always-new-work-to-do-adjusting-to-the-rapid-pace-of/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [Workers are basically supervisors of machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/workers-are-basically-supervisors-of-machines/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) [Explore all 45 David Autor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) ## More 100 years quotes > [If the whole world depends on today's youth, I can't see the world lasting another 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-the-whole-world-depends-on-today-s-youth-i-can-t-see-the-world/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The most significant halachic authority of the last 100 years, whose positions helped fashion a balanced and moderate Judaism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovadia-yosef/the-most-significant-halachic-authority-of-the-last-100-years-whose/) [Ovadia Yosef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovadia-yosef/) > [Separate and unequal didn't work 100 years ago. It will not work today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/separate-and-unequal-didn-t-work-100-years-ago-it-will-not-work-today/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Everything we have developed over the last 100 years should be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pentti-linkola/everything-we-have-developed-over-the-last-100-years-should-be/) [Pentti Linkola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pentti-linkola/) > [“If humans can live for 100 years, why do companies die so young.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukant-ratnakar/if-humans-can-live-for-100-years-why-do-companies-die-so-young/) [Sukant Ratnakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukant-ratnakar/) > [If you look at the history of our country over the last 100 years, there have been periods where science and research have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/if-you-look-at-the-history-of-our-country-over-the-last-100-years/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [“None of this will matter in 100 years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/my-anonymous-friend/none-of-this-will-matter-in-100-years/) My Anonymous Friend > [We can't keep thinking in a limited way about what cinema is. We still don't know what cinema is. Maybe cinema could only really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/we-can-t-keep-thinking-in-a-limited-way-about-what-cinema-is-we-still/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [That's great. I'm 100 years old and people are still interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-fuhr/that-s-great-i-m-100-years-old-and-people-are-still-interested/) Grant Fuhr > [It took Hong Kong 100 years to become what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-xiaobo/it-took-hong-kong-100-years-to-become-what-it-is/) [Liu Xiaobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-xiaobo/) > [Just because society, and government, and whatever was different 100 years ago, doesn't mean that people didn't have sex, pick their nose, or swear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/just-because-society-and-government-and-whatever-was-different-100/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Americans, they have an incredible operatic tradition: the Metropolitan Opera House is - if not the most prestigious - one of the most prestigious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-carreras/americans-they-have-an-incredible-operatic-tradition-the-metropolitan/) [Jose Carreras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-carreras/) > [I wake up in the morning and I still have a passion for what I do, and I'll be doing it when I'm 105,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-collins/i-wake-up-in-the-morning-and-i-still-have-a-passion-for-what-i-do-and/) [Jackie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-collins/) > [Film, if properly cared for, will last almost 100 years, but digital will not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/film-if-properly-cared-for-will-last-almost-100-years-but-digital/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [“In days of yore (about 100 years before olden days, but about 50 years later than ancient times),”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-days-of-yore-about-100-years-before-olden-days-but-about-50-years/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) Browse all 160 100 years quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While I can't tell you what people are going to do for work 100 years from now, the future doesn't hinge on my imagination.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Autor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-going-to-do-for-work-100-years/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "100 years" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-going-to-do-for-work-100-years/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/david-autor-14811_100-years_while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-g_2597239.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/david-autor-14811_100-years_while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-g_2597239.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5f/david-autor-14811_100-years_while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-g_2597239.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“While I can't tell you what people are going to do for work 100 years from now, the future doesn't hinge on…” — David Autor", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Autor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "While I can't tell you what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-going-to-do-for-work-100-years/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/while-i-can-t-tell-you-what-people-are-going-to-do-for-work-100-years/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```